


Franken Jack

by AshesTheTerrible



Category: Borderlands
Genre: Comfort, Death, Depression, Gay Sex, Gore, Hurt, Love, M/M, Magic, Monsters, Psycho, Re-animation, Resurrection, Sadness, Siren, Transformation, corpse, relationship, rising from the dead
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-06
Updated: 2015-03-19
Packaged: 2018-02-24 09:46:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 38,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2577068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshesTheTerrible/pseuds/AshesTheTerrible
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A stupid crush, turns into love between Axton and Handsome Jack. But when Jack goes mad, and must be killed by the vault hunters, Axton falls apart. How far will Axton go to bring back the Handsome Jack that he fell in love with? Will he cross the lines of right and wrong…and bring back the dead? Axton/Handsome Jack *reanimation of the dead, fantasy, monsters, love, gore*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Mourning a Monster

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo this has been a story that has been floating around in my head for quite some time. I just finally felt I needed to get it out. This has got to be the weirdest idea for a fan fiction I've ever had…and I'm excited to see where it takes me! Features Axton and Handsome Jack. After forming a relationship Axton is crushed when Jack goes off the deep end and meets his impending doom at the hands of the vault hunters. Depressed and broken Axton spirals downward…until he finds a little book of research..that changes everything. Axton goes mad scientist and decides he is going to bring Jack back from the dead. WoooooOOOOooooo  
> So sit back and please enjoy!  
> -Ashes

Mourning a Monster

Maya stood awkwardly in the doorframe, here weight shifted to one side as she peered into the room.  
She did not say a word to announce her presence, instead she just kept silent. She just observed the scene before her with tired, regretful eyes.  
She breathed in softly.  
The room was dark, absent of all light except for a small bedside lamp, and every so often the space was illuminated by a flash of lightning from outside.  
A crack of thunder slapped across the sky and Maya nearly jumped with the sudden noise.  
The sound of gentle rain quenching the earth outside the window kissed her ears.  
The weather could not have been more appropriate, she thought to herself as she looked into the room sadly.  
She shifted the tray in her hands that held a glass of water, and a bowl of soup that Zero had made for supper.  
Maya cleared her throat and gently knocked on the door frame.  
“Hey...thought you might be hungry, brought you some soup. It’s minestrone, the really good kind that Zero makes...” Maya whispered tenderly taking a step into the room.  
She got no response.  
She sighed and continued inside.  
Maya crossed the room slowly and gently sat the tray of food on the bedside table with a small “clink”.  
Maya looked down upon the queen sized bed and frowned. There was the tangled form of a body, wrapped in sheets and unmoving.  
Maya sat down on the bed slowly, the mattress dipping to her weight.  
“Axton...you have to eat something. I know you hid yesterday’s meal under a bunch of paper in the trash can. I’m not stupid.” Maya sighed gently reaching out to the bundle of blankets shaped like a man.  
The bundle that she addressed as Axton did not move.  
“I’m not hungry.” Came a gruff voice from underneath the blankets.  
Maya frowned deeply and gently rubbed his shoulder beneath the sheets.  
“Axton please....work with me here.” Maya pleaded.  
She was met by the response of silence.  
She breathed out tiredly and looked out the window as another flash of lightning lit up the skyline of Sanctuary.  
“The others are beginning to worry. Salvador is pretty sure Doctor Zed need’s to get involved and Gaige keeps reminding us that if you end up needing an amputation she’s the one for the job. I’m really sticking my neck out by carrying out this little white lie about you being sick with the flu.” Maya whispered gently.  
Axton just grunted.  
“I feel like I’m dying.” Axton whispered.  
Maya bit her lip softly.  
“I know...I know big guy...I’m sorry....I’m so sorry...” Maya hushed soothingly.  
“You’re the only one that could ever understand this...thank you for not...shunning me and stuff.” Axton whispered from his blanket cocoon.  
Maya shrugged.  
“I’d never shun you.” Maya offered soothingly.  
Silence settled over the two counterparts. Maya patted his arm softly, as if to just let him know she was here for him. That she wouldn’t leave him alone. She’d be here.  
“Try and eat something for me okay? I’ll come and check on you later.” Maya soothed gently.  
Axton didn’t reply.  
Maya closed her eyes for a moment and lifted herself off the bed.  
She crossed the room and paused in the doorway to look back at her fellow Vault Hunter.  
The past two days had been hard.  
Real hard.  
On the commando more than anybody else.  
She knew that too well.  
The commando had secrets, just like the rest of them...but some were just...bigger than others.  
She’d stumbled across his secret, but being the good friend she was...she’d kept it hidden.  
Axton had kept her secrets as well.  
When she and Zero had first started hooking up...and he’d caught them in the pantry...the fucking pantry of all places, what was she thinking...but anyway, he’d not said a word to the others.  
Maya had always thanked him for that.  
Vault hunters were not good at relationships, and love, and they were even worse at explaining them.  
Of course she and Zero were in fact public to the others now...you know in a relationship and all or whatever the crap you’d call it...but still Axton never mentioned that incident to anybody.  
He was a good guy.  
A little loud, and rambunctious at times but he had a good heart.  
She supposed thats what hurt the most about the whole situation...seeing him like this.  
Axton was not one for emotions.  
He didn’t cry, or mope...or anything.  
She’d once seen a rocket launcher round get him right in the back, and he hadn’t shed a single tear.  
He’d cussed a whole hell of a lot when Zed patched him up that time around, but there was not one tear on that stubborn son of a bitch’s face.  
She’d seen him cry for the first time two days ago. And she’d seen him cry many more times in the span from then, to right now.  
It really hurt her heart to see him in such a state.  
It wasn’t right.  
She’d known months back.  
Well figured it out months back.  
The secret of his...  
They had just moved into what Salvador had very affectionately labeled the “Big Fucking Castle”. Literally it was some kind of castle, or had been at one time. It had been abandoned on the edge of Sanctuary for years, and when the Crimson Raider headquarters got too small, with the addition of Gaige and Krieg, they all decided fixing the shit hole up would be a good move.  
It took a lot of elbow grease, but after a few weeks the place was livable. Everybody had their own room, they had a kitchen, a dining hall, even a back yard that Krieg had manipulated into a garden of some sort. The guy had a lot of nuts loose, but he liked to grow vegetables...who would have thought?  
It was...homey.  
Good place to come back too after long missions away. Good place to hang your hat.  
Maya had been up late, wandering down to the kitchen for something to drink, and she’d heard noises of some sort.  
Being curious and ever on her toes, she naturally had to inspect.  
Voices were not unusual in a house full of six extremely noisy vault hunters. In fact most days one was lucky to find any kind of silence for themselves. It was like living with five roosters. Always crowing about something.  
But noises at 3:30 in the morning WERE not amongst the norm. Sleep was a very important thing in the household. Missions didn’t do themselves, and missions required sleep.  
Maya started up the old stone stairwell, keeping her footsteps silent, hugging the wall like a shadow.  
She wasn’t as good at sneaking around as some of her fellow vault hunters..but she managed. She was more of a “run in with as much noise as possible” kind of girl. Though Zero’s whole cloaking thing would have been nice right about then. Fucker was really good at sneaking up on folks. And peeping at her in the shower...yeah...that too.  
Maya smirked to herself.  
She really didn’t mind that though.  
It was pretty clear that it was not just one voice...but two.  
Two clear voices coming from the top of the stairwell.  
Axton’s room.  
Axton’s room was the only one on the second story.  
It was a bedroom yes, but it was attached to some old type of laboratory. None of the others wanted to take the spooky room next to the creepy old testing lab. So Axton had called them all pussies, and taken it for himself in typical Axton fashion.  
Maya followed the flickering hallway lights as she climbed, keeping her breathing low and her movement’s steady.  
It wasn’t really spying...it was just...curiosity...and she had to look out for her comrades. You never knew when an intruder could have managed to breach sanctuary. On this planet one had to constantly be on their toes. Always. Unless you wanted to be blown up, or eaten, you had to be. All part of Pandoran survival. Trust nothing, always be cautious, always inspect.  
And if you found something dangerous upon inspection, run, or shoot at it.  
Either or.  
Maya could hear the voices more clearly as she neared.  
One was Axton’s for sure...but the other...she couldn’t put her finger on it.  
She chewed her lip, listening hard as she snuck closer.  
The door to Axton’s room was cracked slightly, just enough for prying eyes to get a good look.  
Score, Maya thought grinning.  
Who was in there with him?  
Did Axton have some secret lover coming over late at night?  
If he did, she’d sure have to have a stern talk with the man. It wasn’t safe to just let people into the castle without letting at least her know. She needed to make sure they were acceptable company.  
Maya crawled on her hands and knees toward the bedroom door and ever so cautiously peeked through the small crevice.  
Axton was laid across the bed, naked of course.  
They really had force the man into the habit of wearing clothes around the house. But he still refused to wear them around his room.  
This would have been an embarrassing peeping moment, if Maya hadn’t seen “all of that” plenty of times before. None by choice mind you.  
All due to Axton’s refusal to wear underwear when going to the kitchen for a midnight snack.  
She squinted her eyes to see better in the darkness.  
He had an echo screen propped up on the end of the bed, lying on his stomach facing the small flickering screen.  
The light of the echo screen illuminated his face and shoulders in the darkness of the room.  
Maya tried to see who was on the other end, but the tilt Axton had it at made that impossible.  
She strained to listen to the conversation she had dropped in on instead.  
“Huh...I dunno you could always shoot for a turret with legs? That’d be pretty sweet. Often thought about how cool it would be if the Missus could run around when I throw her.” Axton mused grabbing a pillow to prop his chin up.  
“That’s called a gun loader kiddo. Kinda the same dealio. Can’t really call that a “new” robot concept...if it already exists.” Came the voice through the echo screen.  
Axton rolled his eyes and chuckled before responding to the coy response from the other participant in the conversation.  
“Oh yeah. Guess you’re right. Well why do you want to think of a new concept yourself? Don’t you have like...engineers to do that shit for you?” Axton said smiling.  
There was a chuckle from the other end.  
God Maya would know that laugh anywhere.  
That haunting, honey sweet, maniacal laugh.  
The kind of laugh that both shook you in your boots, and tempted you to take your clothes off.  
She knew that laugh...that voice...but it couldn’t be...could it?  
Maya swallowed hard.  
“Yeah, yeah, but believe it or not I do have some pretty good ideas every once and a while.” The other voice retorted.  
“Like the diamond horse?” Axton said teasingly.  
“Woah, woah, woah. That was not my original IDEA, that was someone else’s idea to breed a diamond horse. I just bought her. Because you know, it’s cool.  
Don’t even fucking act like you don’t like her.” The voice said defensively.  
Axton laughed heartily.  
“I’m kidding, I’m kidding. B. Stallion’s pretty cool.” Axton yawned.  
“Speaking of that, when you gunna drop by again kiddo...it’s been a while. The horse misses you. And you know I kinda do too.” The voice mused.  
Axton sighed.  
“You know it aint that easy. Especially not with all your Hyperion fucks trying to kill me every time I turn around.” Axton sighed.  
“It’s to keep you on your toes. I only do it cause I like ya. Plus you’re hard as fuck to kill regardless. They can’t harm a hair on your pretty little head before you blow them up or somethin.” The voice chuckled.  
“If you’d just join with me...they wouldn’t try to kill you.” the voice continued.  
Axton sighed long and heavy.  
“I was never much for following orders and wearing uniforms. You know that. That’s why I left Dahl. And the other Vault Hunters well...their kinda family. If you’d just agree to not kill us all this would be so much easier.” Axton sighed.  
“Can’t make any promises kiddo. We’ve had this conversation before. I gotta plan, can’t stray from that...and can’t let anybody get in the way of that.” The voice sighed.  
“You’re different from them. I don’t get why you still wanna hang out with them.” The voice snorted.  
“Hey, hey now, is that a hint of jealousy I hear. None of that sir.” Axton said smiling and playfully wagging a finger at the screen.  
The voice scoffed.  
“You aint the boss of me kiddo.” The voice retorted sweetly.  
“I don’t like talking about the whole taking sides thing. You know that. Let’s just not..” Axton sighed.  
The voice paused for a moment.  
“Alright. Gotcha. Well kiddo, I gotta turn in. Gotta early meeting tomorrow and their beginning to wonder why I’m dragging ass all the time.” The voice said yawning through the echo.  
Axton nodded.  
“Just tell them late night Echo sex was more important. Good luck. Don’t strangle anybody during the meeting. Like seriously. You strangle them all you’re gunna run out of people to work for you.” Axton said coyly.  
“Yeah cause that would go over really well. And no fucking promises. G’night pumpkin.” The voice said in that maliciously sweet tone.  
Axton smiled at the screen.  
“Night Jack.” He whispered clicking the echo screen off and tossing it on the bed.  
Maya sat dumbfounded at the door.  
She couldn’t move.  
Couldn’t speak.  
Couldn't think.  
What the fuck had she walked in on!?  
Axton....Handsome Jack???  
But Axton obviously wasn’t siding with Jack...she’d heard him say it...so what was this!?  
And drop by again?? Meaning Axton had been...visiting Jack previously??  
Maya stood up suddenly and turned to get the hell out of there, when her foot caught on the edge of the top step. Maya tripped and grabbed onto the guard railing with a loud thud.  
Fuck...she thought to herself freezing.  
Immediately there was the thunk of feet hitting the floor and the sound of Axton’s door swinging open.  
“Who’s there?” Axton hissed as he bolted from the door to catch the culprit.  
Maya looked up awkwardly and pulled herself to her feet.  
“For fuck’s sake Axton...clothing? Ever heard of it?” She whispered shielding her eyes from a full view of Axton’s junk.  
Axton seemed to ignore her comment and looked at her with wildly fearful eyes.  
“How much did you hear.” He whispered frantically.  
“Just the end. But Axton you and I need to have a long talk. I am too tired and shocked right now...but in the morning. You, me, talk. You have A LOT of explaining to do.” Maya whispered pointing viciously at Axton.  
Axton looked horrified.  
“Maya, it’s not as bad as it looks, please, please don’t tell the others they’ll fucking skin me alive.” Axton whispered back desperately.  
Maya looked at him with stern eyes.  
“I’m not saying anything until we have that talk.” Maya snapped over her shoulder before disappearing down the stairs, leaving Axton speechless and shaking.  
In the morning Maya sat in the back yard, sipping her coffee, when Axton finally came to talk.  
He looked tired, and distressed when he sat down in the lawn chair to Maya’s left.  
He leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees and looked at the ground.  
Maya peered at him over her cup, one eyebrow raised.  
“So. Now that I’m rested, and really got to think about what I heard last night...let’s talk Axton.” Maya mused peering over at him.  
They were alone in the house.  
By some miracle the others had been called to headquarters on a mission.  
It was just Maya, and Axton.  
Plenty of time for talking.  
“Where do you want me to start.” Axton sighed running his hand through his hair.  
Maya cleared her throat and took another sip of coffee.  
“At the beginning.” Maya said calmly.  
“How did it start?” She continued.  
Axton closed his eyes and breathed out nervously.  
Being interrogated by a Siren was no matter to be taken lightly.  
“All started couple months ago. During solo missions Jack would echo me...more than the rest of you. First it was just more taunting...then it started turning...into something more. Went on like that for some time. Next thing I know we were arranging to meet on neutral grounds. I went on a solo mission, met him in the highlands, he kept his end, he came alone...and we...well...yeah.” Axton breathed shaking his head.  
Maya’s eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.  
“You didn’t...” She whispered over her cup, furrowing her eyebrows at Axton.  
Axton blushed a little and looked at the ground.  
“I did.” He huffed.  
Maya nearly choked on her coffee.  
“You fucked Handsome Jack!?” She exclaimed thrusting her hands out, spilling a little coffee onto the ground.  
Axton flinched at the harsh sentence.  
“Seriously you had to say it like that...yes...damn it. I-I had sex with Jack. It was only supposed to be one time...but fuck you get a little taste of that guy and it’s like a drug...he’s...he’s something else. I mean fuck that guy can give hea-” Axton rambled before Maya held her hand out.  
“Nope. Don’t wanna know. Spare the details and keep going.” She said shaking her head.  
“Right..sorry. Anyway...like I said it was supposed to be a one time deal. Get it out of my system, squash the stupid little crush I’d formed. But...but that kinda back fired. Next thing I know we were meeting up regularly to have quickies in his car....and then eventually...he invited me over. I went, despite having vowed myself to bringing Jack down...here I was going behind your backs and meeting with him in his personal quarters. The very man we’ve been trying to kill...but I just couldn’t...I couldn’t not fall for him. I spent the night, it just felt...right. He’s...he’s not as bad as we thought. Sure I mean the guy’s a nut...but I mean look at us!? Are we much better? I saw Krieg rip a mans arm off and shove it up the poor guy’s ass. He shoved the mans own arm...up his ass...just let that sink in.” Axton explained exasperatedly.  
Maya nodded thoughtfully.  
“We all agree Krieg is nuts as fuck. But he isn’t trying to murder the rest of us to cleanse Pandora of bandit scum either....” Maya said grimacing.  
Axton nodded.  
“I know...I know...but we both agreed we are on neither one’s side...and if thing’s came down to it...if things got too real...neither would hesitate to kill the other. When the time came. If I get in the way of his plan, he’ll kill me just like any other vault hunter. If he get’s in my way...I’ll kill him. We just exist...pretending all that doesn’t matter when we are with each other.” Axton breathed out softly.  
“So you aren’t working for Jack and you’re gunna turn on us and kill us in our sleep?” Maya said sternly.  
Axton shook his head.  
“No...no nothing like that. I just I just....dunno...never felt this way bout anybody before. He’s not a bad guy...deep down. Just took a lot of getting to know him to see that. He’s been through a lot of shit. I have too. We all have....I just feel like I can finally talk to someone openly about it.” Axton sighed.  
Maya tilted her head to the side.  
“Ok Axton. Ok. But I’ve got my eye on you. This makes me really nervous. I don’t want you getting hurt.” She said looking at him with concerned eyes.  
Axton chuckled.  
“I’m a big boy. I can handle myself.” Axton said smiling at her.  
Maya returned the smile and nodded.  
“But seriously keep the late night sexcapades down. You’re lucky it was me that heard you. The others...may not have taken it as well as I am.” Maya warned lowly.  
Axton shrugged his shoulders and nodded.  
“Yeah...I know. Thanks for that...” Axton whispered.  
Maya’s eyes flicked to Axton.  
“One more question.” Maya said cocking a side grin.  
“Yeah?” Axton said raising an eyebrow.  
“You giving it or taking it from that asshole?” She said laughing.  
“Giving it. You know better than that.” Axton said shaking his head grinning.  
“Good. Kinda gives me a nice little feeling of victory knowing a Vault Hunter is bending Jack over every once and a while. I knew he seemed like someone who liked taking it.” Maya teased leaning back in her chair.  
Axton shook his head laughing harder now.  
“Thank you Maya...seriously...thank you.” He whispered.  
After that day there had been several more incidents.  
Maya had kept Axton’s secrets, as long as he talked with her about the relationship and confessed to her everything. As long as she was in the know, she didn’t mind keeping it under wraps.  
Axton would go on solo missions every so often.  
One time in-particular Salvador had actually asked to tag along. Maya had quickly saved the situation by asking Salvador if he wanted to go shoot Rakk with her instead.  
Salvador had quickly agreed, everybody enjoyed a little bit of competitive Rakk shooting.  
Axton had looked at Maya his eyes full of thanks, and she patted him on the shoulder.  
She leaned in toward him.  
“Tell Jack I said hey.” she’d whispered in his ear before wisking away to the vehicle bay with Salvador.  
She was a good friend like that.  
She cared for Axton, cared about his personal life...even if it was with their arch enemy. It seemed harmless enough.  
Jack hadn’t come bursting into Sanctuary to kill them all yet, so she figured it was innocent enough.  
Axton seemed so...happy.  
Happier than she’d seen him in a very long time.  
He’d been through a lot...the kid needed something to be happy about. She liked seeing him smiling again, laughing more...just living. She couldn’t strip that from him.  
And so she didn’t. She just protected his growing secret.  
They became closer because of it.  
She became interested in what he had to say, she enjoyed listening to the stories he would tell.  
It left her slowly believing that Jack...deep down could feel some kind of compassion. He certainly seemed to be expressing it toward Axton.  
It went on like that for months.  
Until...the big break happened.  
That was the only way she could describe it.  
A break.  
A crack in the foundation of things.  
They found out Jack’s plans of waking the warrior. Of his daughter...a siren...being used to charge the key.  
It all just happened so quickly. They had to spring to action.  
They had to stop him.  
Maya could hardly even recall the events of it all it was so fast.  
Before the knew it, they had to kill Jack’s daughter Angel to ensure he couldn’t charge the vault key.  
Jack snapped.  
The loss of a loved one would shake anybody but it didn’t just shake Jack...it destroyed him.  
Maya had, had to watch as Axton saw his lover turn into a monster.  
But true to his word, he’d fought on their side. Against Jack.  
The fight was brutal.  
Lilith was captured, Roland was killed.  
That night was rough.  
Maya and Axton had sat in silence on the balcony.  
Axton never cried, never spoke.  
He just knew.  
The Jack he had seen that day was not the Jack he’d grown to love...that Jack...was gone.  
Maya felt helpless as she watched her friend loose their loved one.  
She’d just sat with him through the night, never speaking, just being.  
But it was two days previous that had caused all this...  
That was when it all came to a head.

Maya walked down the steps away from Axton’s room, leaving him alone. She sunk down into a chair in the den and sighed to herself.  
She could recall the events so fucking clearly....

“CHICA TO YOUR LEFT WATCH OUT!!!” Salvador had yelled as he unleashed a spray of bullets up over Maya’s head.  
Maya rolled out of the way as the big creatures tail came crashing down on the rocks surrounding the six of them.  
The warrior...had been awakened.  
It was massive, a god if she had ever seen one.  
Maya jumped to her feet as Axton threw his turret. The machine unfolded to life and began spitting bullets at the stirring monster as it burst forth from the lava lake.  
It’s roar echoed through the vault, causing Maya’s ears to ring with the intensity.  
Maya cringed and ducked behind a rock as it sprayed molten spit over the small rocky island.  
It lifted up on its two front limbs, the impact shaking the earth as it slammed them down. Axton slid around the same rock Maya had taken cover behind.  
“You ok!? You hurt!?” He yelled over the bellowing roar of the Warrior.  
“Yeah I’m fine! Cover Krieg! He’s running in there with his buzzaxe his gunna get himself fucking killed!!!” She yelled frantically.  
Maya phaselocked the beast’s eye, burning it’s socket when it tried to come down on the Psycho as he raised his weapon letting loose a crazed battle cry.  
Axton tackled him to the ground, and pushed him behind cover.  
“Krieg you crazy fuck USE YOUR GUN!!!!” Axton yelled at his comrade before storming back into battle.  
The beast slunk under the lava and Axton trailed it with his gun until it’s head disappeared underneath the liquid.  
It lurched back up in a spray of molten earth, mouth agape.  
Gaige was suddenly beside him, unloading her weapon into the Warrior’s chest.  
The monster’s eyes rolled in it’s sockets and it bellowed loudly, enraged by the sight of it’s own blood.  
It slammed a clawed paw down onto the surface, causing the earth to shudder beneath their feet.  
Maya charged in, her SMG unloading wildly.  
The warrior vomited up a spray of lava, it splashed to the ground scalding Maya’s leg.  
Maya fell to the ground crying out in anguish.  
Immediately Axton was there, machine gun ready, grabbing her and hauling her to cover before the beast could hack up more scorching liquid.  
Axton set her down gently behind a large boulder.  
He turned to run back to the battle.  
Maya grabbed his arm sternly.  
“Axton...no matter what happens...even if I don’t make it out of this...just know I’m honored to call you my friend.” She breathed to the commando.  
He’d looked at her with flashing eyes, blood running down his forehead.  
Axton simply nodded in reply and then he was gone.  
Salvador had resorted to a rocket launcher and was sending punishing round after round into the Warrior’s chest plate. Until finally...it gave way.  
The Warrior let loose a cry that could have shaken universes. An explosion of lava like blood poured out of it’s chest cavity.  
It was wild with rage, a creature knowing it was dying.  
It sent a massive claw flying down at his attacker, making contact with the Gunzerker.  
Salvador was tossed aside like a rag doll, slamming into some stones to the left.  
Axton threw the Missus again and ran to Sal.  
He was bleeding bad.  
Really bad.  
They had to end this quickly or that beast would make short work of them all.  
“KRIEG, GAIGE, ZERO WE GOTTA END THIS NOW!!!!” Axton screamed over the roars of the Warrior.  
“ON IT!!!!” Gaige cried throwing out deathtrap.  
The Warrior reared up and swatted the machine like a fly.  
Deathtrap slammed into the ground in a flurry of sparks and stutters.  
Gaige let out a horrified scream.  
“LEAVE IT WE HAVE TO KILL THE WARRIOR WE CAN FIX DEATHTRAP LATER!!!” Axton yelled to her over the turret fire.  
He knew how much that robot meant to her.  
That was her world now laying lifelessly on the rocks.  
But he needed her. There were only four of them left.  
Zero whipped by Axton, appearing out of thin air. Like a ghost.  
He slid onto his knee and sniped the Warrior in the left eye, then the right.  
It’s eyeballs burst like balloons, spilling molten blood down its face.  
It screeched savagely as it thrashed blindly.  
“IT IS BLIND! WE TAKE IT NOW! AIM FOR THE CHEST!” Zero called over the deafening cries of the godlike beast.  
The air was filled with the sounds of rapid fire. Bullet shells clinked to the floor, clattering like chimes in the wind.  
It was all instinct.  
Shoot, reload, shoot, reload.  
Axton aimed a final round toward the Warriors oozing chest.  
He unloaded it.  
The beast cried out in anguish as it’s body lurched.  
That was a death cry if he had ever heard one.  
Axton watched as it fell, seemingly in slow motion. It’s massive head slammed into the ground, jaw slack as it hit, dead eyes rolling back into it’s head.  
And then...it was still.  
The god had fallen, it’s lifeless body stretched halfway in the lava and halfway out.  
Axton stood panting, still holding his smoking weapon.  
Krieg looked at him with his one crazed eye as if to ask “is it really dead?”.  
Axton nodded slowly.  
Gaige was sobbing into Krieg’s arm, and he instinctively wrapped her up in his grasp, shielding her from the sight of her dead robot.  
Axton ran over to Salvador, who was sitting up now, already tearing his shirt into a tourniquet to stop the bleeding from his arm.  
“How you doing?” Axton asked helping him tie the material.  
“Been better Amigo...been better.” Salvador whispered gruffly.  
Zero was already at Maya’s side. He hefted her up into his arms and carried her over to the others. She slung her arms around his neck and rested her chin in the crook of his throat.  
Axton was still breathing heavy as he assessed the damage to his team.  
They were beaten, bruised, bleeding, but alive.  
They were all alive.  
That was all that mattered.  
The reunion and wound assessment was short lived as Zero spoke up.  
“We still have other matters to deal with. It is not over. We must take care of...him.” Zero mused looking over the length of the stone island.  
The man laid there groaning, cursing the vault hunters, crying out in anguish.  
Jack.  
The man who had woken the warrior.  
The man that had tried to kill them all.  
They could hear him laughing psychotically as the madness of death took him and what little bit was left of his sanity slipped away.  
There was no sane man there anymore.  
There was but a sad, dying, dictator who had lost everything.  
Maya looked to Axton, their eyes meeting for just a moment.  
Maya spoke up softly.  
“Axton will stay with me. I can’t watch.” Maya whispered.  
This was truth as it slipped out of her lips.  
Though she didn’t know Jack really...she felt like she did...through Axton.  
She knew what was to come.  
Zero nodded. The four of them turned and left Maya and Axton there.  
Axton sat down beside Maya.  
His face was drained of all color, his lips but a thin line across his face.  
Maya put her arm around him and pulled him close.  
“That isn’t the man you fell in love with. That isn’t Jack. Jack is gone. He’s been gone for a while now.” Maya whispered to him.  
Axton squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth.  
Maya shook him sternly.  
“Axton, Axton look at me! That is not Jack! That is a shell of who Jack was, that is not Jack, you hear me! Look at me!” Maya commanded grabbing his face.  
Axton was nearly hyperventilating now.  
Maya could hear Jack’s curses, she could hear the cocking of a gun.  
“AXTON! LOOK AT ME AND ME ALONE DO NOT LOOK ANYWHERE ELSE LOOK AT ME!” She yelled cupping her hands over his ears.  
Axton’s body shook with sobs as tears ran down his face. He looked into Maya’s eyes as she forced him to stare at her.  
And then...  
There was a single shot.  
And silence.  
Axton broke.  
He let loose an anguished cry and buried his face in his hands.  
Maya let her hands fall from his ears and took him into her lap.  
She rocked the sputtering man slowly, rubbing his back as he fell apart on her. She’d never heard a man make such sounds. Such sounds of utter, racking defeat. Of utter sadness.  
She never wanted to hear that sound again.  
Not for as long as she lived.

Maya wiped her eyes with the back of her hand as the tears began to fall down her cheeks.  
She felt helpless.  
She pulled her knees up to her chin and cried into them.  
Suddenly there was a flicker of motion, and Zero appeared.  
He crossed the room slowly and sat down in the chair opposite to Maya.  
“My love, you are sobbing? What is wrong? Have I done something?” Zero asked mechanically.  
Maya shook her head frantically.  
Every time she even got the slightest bit emotional Zero alway assumed he had done something wrong.  
Bless his heart he was so lost when dealing with women, and emotion.  
“May I be of assistance? Here, come sit. I shall make it better.” Zero offered patting his leg.  
Maya unfolded from her chair and crawled up into Zero’s lap.  
He wrapped his arms around her and she rest her chin on his shoulder.  
Maya sniffled softly against him.  
He hushed her softly, his gloved hand coming to run through her hair.  
“Can you tell me what is wrong? You never cry. This is greatly concerning.” Zero whispered robotically.  
Maya shook her head.  
“It’s nothing...it’s just...life...life isn’t fair...” She sniffed softly.  
“No siren. Life is indeed not of the fair variety. But then that is the way it must be.” Zero hushed.  
Maya gritted her teeth.  
“Still...still it’s just...it’s just not fair...some people have to suffer so much...” She said her voice cracking.  
“Bad things happen...to such good people....” Maya whispered.  
Zero nodded.  
“There will always be bad. But there will always be good. And there will always be the in-between.” Zero mused.  
Maya sighed against him.  
Life.  
Death.  
Good.  
Evil.  
Right.  
Wrong.  
None of them played fair.  
None of them.


	2. The Book of Monsters

The Book of Monsters

Axton blinked in the darkness.  
At some point he had finally fallen asleep.  
That hadn’t lasted long though...he was awoken by nightmares.  
The sounds of the Warrior roaring, the sounds of that final gunshot...  
Axton felt sick to his stomach.  
He choked back the urge to vomit up the small amount of soup he’d managed to force down. He slowly sat up in bed.   
He could still hear the pouring rain outside and the distant booming of thunder as more storms rolled down the landscape.   
He breathed out slowly and clicked on the bedside lamp.  
Maybe getting up and doing a little walking would do his body good.  
He weakly swung his legs out of bed, and attempted to stand. The two days of not eating was starting to wear on his body. He felt woozy as soon as he stood.   
He steadied himself gingerly, holding his arms out for balance.   
God he must have been a pathetic sight.   
Body weak, eyes red and puffy, face pale as the surface of Elpis.   
He shook his head sadly.   
He didn’t care how awful he looked, it was just an outward expression of how he felt inside.  
He was a mess.   
Wrecked beyond hope of possible repair.   
His eyes flicked across the room to the heavy looking oak door.  
It looked like it should be a closet, due to it’s placement...but it was anything but.  
He sighed and began his unsteady maiden journey across the room.  
He reached the heavy door and turned the knob gently.   
He pulled the door ajar with much effort and the old hinges gave a shrill, weak creak as it yawned open.   
Axton stepped inside and fumbled for the light switches.   
He flicked on the first one, sending the first half of the massive room into brilliance. He flicked the second switch and the mid room lights came to life. He flicked the last one and the end room lights bathed the rest of the shadows in lighting.   
He breathed out as his eyes swept over the massive laboratory.   
Huge machines stood tall and menacing, hulking up to the ceilings. Wires hung like spiderwebs from the rafters, and massive glass tubes lined the walls.  
The rest of the group thought this place was absolutely creepy.   
And a little disgusting.  
But Axton had different opinions on the matter.   
The old experimentation lab was a thing of beauty to him. He’d spent countless hours in here searching through the old documents, researching what all they were testing in here so many years ago. Axton strayed inside slowly, reaching his hand out to the first massive glass tube. Inside was a full grown alpha skag, floating pickled in the fluids inside. He ran his hand over the glass, exploring the beasts form with his eyes.  
Each tube held something different.  
Skags, Threshers, Varkids, Rakk, Bullmongs...everything. They were morbid trophies but Axton found them fascinating.   
He’d read nearly every book on the massive shelves at the back of the room. They were all instruction manuals, folders, logs of experiments, and research.   
Most of the research was on trying to create hybrids, or more domesticated forms of the creatures.   
Pandoran wildlife was pretty harsh, he could understand scientists wanting to find a way to tame the beasts.   
Axton wandered through the lab slowly, legs feeling like cement, body feeling like he was stuck in tar.  
He finally got to the largest desk in the room.  
He pulled out the old desk chair and eased himself down into it, sighing out slowly.  
This was his favorite place to be a lot of the time.  
He liked to sit in the chair and wonder what the head scientist may have been thinking thirty years ago in that very place. In that very chair, at that very desk.  
What was he mulling over in that fantastic mind of his?   
Creating something fantastic.   
Axton frowned to himself.  
If only they had created away of going back in time...  
So he could change the past.  
So he could change everything that had happened....  
So he could save him...  
Save Jack.  
Axton’s breath caught in his throat as his name came to him.  
There wasn’t a moment he didn’t think about him.  
See his face, hear his voice, smell his scent.   
Cinnamon. He always smelled like cinnamon.   
Sweet, sharp, harsh...but good.  
Axton bit his lip and closed his eyes.  
If he could just go back...he could change him.  
Axton felt the racking sobs bubbling up from his gut, they shook him as the tears began to fall.  
He thought eventually he would just run out of tears to cry, but yet they still managed to come time and time again.  
It wasn’t fair.  
It wasn’t right.  
He’d finally found such a scarce thing as love...only to have it ripped away from him prematurely.   
What did he do to deserve this?  
To loose so much.  
To feel so much pain.  
To ache this badly.  
Axton screamed out and slammed his fists down on the old wooden desk in rage.  
The desk gave a little crack, and a pop, and suddenly a small drawer came loose from the side.  
Axton looked down at the secret compartment through tearful eyes.  
He’d never noticed that drawer before.  
And he’d spent many hours sifting through this entire lab...but he’d never seen that.   
The lock had to have come loose with his outburst of anger.  
Axton slowly grabbed the drawer and pulled it all the way out.  
It creaked and groaned as he pulled it out, and inside, all by itself, sat a lonely, dusty, leather bound notebook.  
Axton looked around the room cautiously, as if to make sure he was really alone again.  
For some reason, he automatically felt like this was something he should not know about. The book just reeked of the aroma of...secrets...and trouble.  
Axton breathed in deep and gently reached in.  
He curled his fingers around the small notebook and pulled it loose from the compartment, taking spiderwebs with it.  
He brought it to his chin and blew the dust off the cover.  
He looked over the cover once again, now that it was readable.   
In scratchy letters on the front cover, there was but one word.  
“Resurrection”   
Axton felt his heart jump into his throat.  
He should not be laying eyes on this. He should not be seeing this.   
God he knew this was not something for him to be looking upon.  
It felt wrong.  
It felt evil.  
But curiosity was getting the better of him.  
He could feel his heartbeat in his ears.  
Dare he open it?   
Axton breathed in deep and gently cracked open the front cover.   
A crack of thunder nearly made him jump right out of his skin.   
Axton slammed the cover shut and looked out the large lab window. He shook his head and breathed out nervously.   
It was just a book, he needed to pull it together.   
Just a notebook, nothing more.   
Axton thumbed his fingers under the book cover, and opened it, flipping to the first page.  
There were a few scribbled words there.  
“The off record research of Doctor Maine, Resurrection”   
That was all that was written there.  
Axton felt himself trembling.  
Resurrection? Was that even possible...?  
What had gone on here....  
Axton flipped to the first entry. It was titled labeled “First Resurrection trials, subject, skag pup”   
Axton’s eyes scanned over the page eagerly. There were very detailed diagrams first, all pertaining to a machine that the writer...who he assumed was to be Dr. Maine, simply labeled “The Waking”. There were drawings, upon drawings, detailed sketches of the machine and how it was built. What part belonged where, and which piece did what.  
Axton’s eyes flicked up to search the room.  
There it was. Right in the middle of the room, standing like a hulking beast.  
Axton had never before been able to figure out what the massive thing was for. It was a massive glass tube, one end closed off, the other end had a door...where Axton now figured test subjects were shoved in. There were wires and tubes coming from the ceiling running down to The Waking. There were levers and trays and compartments all of unknown use to Axton.  
His eyes wandered back to the pages.   
The rest of the chapter was detailed diary entries and pictures. Recording every account of the first trials.   
Axton’s gaze jumped from picture to picture. Watching as they took the Skag pup, pumped it full of poison, and let it die.  
“Subject was unresponsive and pronounced dead. The Waking was charged and the subject was strapped to the Waking bed. Subject was inserted into machine. Skag was subjected to machine for four hours. The resurrection was a success.”  
Axton read the next sentence again.  
Resurrection was a success.  
The revived....a dead animal.  
Brought it back from death.  
Axton felt his breath leave him.  
He thumbed through the early trials, each time the subject was a larger animal. Some of the trials were about the question of if the subject could be resurrected when the subject had suffered major organ damage. The trial was unsuccessful.   
If any organ was damaged it would not work.  
Doctor Maine fixed this problem by adjusting the machine. Making it possible for the machine to replace damaged innards during the process of resurrection.   
There were so many trials, so many errors...so much information. Axton soaked it all in eagerly, word after word, picture after picture.   
Until finally...he found himself in the next chapter.  
The chapter labeled...  
“Human Trials”   
Axton felt numb.   
He wasn’t sure he even wanted to continue reading.  
These men...they were playing the gods.   
Playing the creators.  
Playing with fire.  
Playing death.  
But he had to know.  
Was human resurrection possible? Did they succeed....?  
Axton flipped the page.   
The pictures sent chills down his spine.   
Two dead people, both lying on tables, being prepared to go into The Waking.  
“Subject one died of a massive heart attack. Subject two suffered bullet wound to the heart.”   
“Subject one was put into the machine. Results were horrific. Subject lived for exactly five minutes before the coughing ensued. Coughing quickly turned into vomiting. Subject vomited up vital organs and choked. Human Trial one unsuccessful.”   
“Subject two was put into machine. Similar results. Subject lived for ten minutes when power was raised on machine. Conclusion, the machine is not powerful enough.”   
Axton felt his heart sink reading the words.  
They had failed...  
He bit his lip and forced himself to read onward.  
The next dozen entries were all unsuccessful. The higher the power was raised the longer the subjects lived. But the machine’s power had a limit. They came to a point where the power could no longer be raised.  
But Doctor Maine was clever.  
Axton was captivated by his drive to figure out the right recipe for a successful human resurrection. He was so determined. Just would not let failure become an option.  
Axton flipped the page.  
“Human Trials, Siren magic”   
Axton raised an eyebrow.   
Siren magic?  
The net chapter was dedicated to the hunt for a Siren, and how Doctor Maine believed that if the Machine was powered by a Siren the procedure would be successful. Siren’s were known for powers beyond understanding. Somehow this wasn’t shocking that he had come to this conclusion.   
He read on, eyes feasting on pictures of a woman, dead, lying naked in preparation for the machine.  
“I have finally found a Siren willing to aid me in the testing. Subject one of the new testing procedure was prepped for The Waking. Subject had been dead for two days. Subject died of Cancer. Subject was put into The Waking. The Siren powered the Machine as instructed. Test subject was successfully resurrected. Subject was monitored for hours. Subject was stable. So far subject has been monitored for a week, still stable and showing no signs of relapse into death. I am now recording the first successful human resurrection.”   
Axton froze, staring at the small scribbled sentences.   
They’d succeeded. He’d done it. He’d...brought back the dead.  
With a Siren’s power it was possible to bring back those who had died.  
Axton kept reading, some entries were more personal than others, explaining that the first successful subject was indeed Dr. Maine’s wife. His whole point in starting the trials was so he could bring her back. When he learned his wife had cancer he had begun this quest to build a machine that could re-animate the dead. Bring back loved ones.   
Axton felt tears sliding down his cheeks.  
He gently closed the little notebook, his hand resting on it’s cover.  
Everything needed to preform this procedure, was in that book.  
Step by step, it explained it all.   
Axton hugged the notebook to his chest and sobbed quietly.   
This was the answer....and yet was he crazy enough to do it?   
Could he do it?   
Would he do it?  
Axton had done a lot of morally questionable things...but this...this was blurring the lines between life and death. Playing with the reaper did not seem like a very sane idea.  
But...but he...he could bring him back...  
He could bring Jack back....  
He could bring him back to life.  
Axton’s hands shook as he gripped the notebook.  
A bolt of lightning illuminated the window and the right side of the huge machine sitting before Axton.  
Axton stood shakily.  
He crossed the room, notebook still in hand, and stood before The Waking.  
He touched it softly.   
Would it even still work?   
If not...could he fix it.  
Axton flipped to the technical manual of the machine.   
With a little greasing up...he was certain he could get it running.   
Axton stood there in the machine’s shadow.  
He didn’t care how crazy it seemed.   
He didn’t care how wrong it was.  
He didn’t care if he was playing the gods.  
He didn’t care if he was cheating death.  
If Dr. Maine could bring back his beloved...Axton could too.  
He was going to bring Jack back to life.

 

The hours ticked by, and Axton worked tirelessly. The notebook sat open on the table, propped up so Axton could study it as he worked. He tightened bolts, exchanged parts, fixed leaking wires. He had to get the machine working. He had to.   
Axton twisted the wrench a final time and slowly pulled himself off the ground to   
assess his handy work.   
For the first time in the past few days he felt...somewhat ok.  
There was a hope in him...a hope that there was something that could be done to rewrite the past.   
Axton threw the wrench onto the table with a loud clatter and stuffed his hands into his pajama pockets.   
He hadn’t changed out of his pajama’s in the past two days. He hadn’t showered...or eaten..or even so much as gotten out of bed.  
Axton frowned deeply.  
God what would Jack have said if he could have seen him like this?  
Probably something along the lines of “God damn kiddo get your shit together! And take a shower, you smell like a wet bullymong.”   
Axton snorted to himself a small smile breaking his lips for the first time in days.   
First order of business was a shower. Then food.   
The shower did him good. The warm water easing away the ache a little, dispensing the tightness in his muscles.   
He washed his unruly hair and shaved his chin. He scrubbed himself down and let the subs rinse away.  
It almost didn’t feel real.   
It was like a miracle...but he doubted that was the right word for it.   
He had a lot to do to prepare for this...if he was really going to go through with it.  
He grimaced deeply.  
This meant...grave robbing.   
The Vault Hunters had buried Jack in an unmarked grave down in the old cemetery.  
They may have been bandits...but they weren’t heartless.   
They knew if it was a marked grave...angry citizens of sanctuary would dig him up...defile the grave...things like that.   
So they’d left it unlabeled.  
There was no funeral. Just a burial.  
Nobody talked while the deed was carried out.  
There was just a mutual agreement of silence that hung in the air.   
The others didn’t really stay afterward.  
Except Axton.  
He’d stayed for a long time.   
Just staring at the fresh grave.   
He didn’t cry for hours, just stood and stared.  
But as night had fallen, the tears fell too.  
So many tears were shed over that fresh dirt.  
Axton felt sick just thinking about it.   
Thinking about how lost he had felt...how...hollow he had felt.   
She shook his head.  
None of that would matter...that would all be a bitter memory after he brought him back.   
Axton dried himself and threw on an old pair of jeans, and a hoodie.   
He had to get some kind of food in his system. He felt ridiculously weak...and he knew he couldn’t go grave robbing on an empty stomach.   
Axton grimaced at the thought.   
No matter how he looked at it...it was going to be a messy job.   
But his will...his love...it drove him. No matter the cost...he had to try.  
He sighed slowly and opened the bedroom door.  
It was early morning, he’d worked straight through the night. His body was tired from the lack of sleep, but his mind was restless. He couldn’t sleep. He just couldn’t. There were too many factors he had to work out.  
He would go tonight.   
To the grave.   
That he knew.   
But that would be the easy part.  
He needed new organs.   
Fresh organs.  
He knew some had to be damaged when...they shot him...  
Axton swallowed hard.  
He would have to go into town.   
To Doctor Zed.  
The Doctor... well...wasn’t exactly a Doctor at all really. But the guy could patch a man up a hell of a lot better than anybody else in sanctuary.  
And Axton knew the rumors of Zed being in the black market for illegal organs all too well. It was common knowledge that if you killed someone...you brought them to Zed. He always had a use for fresh organs.   
According to the diagrams you fed the new organs into the machine...and it simply replaced them. How exactly Axton wasn’t sure, but there was proof that however it did it, it worked.   
He wasn’t one to ask questions on the matter of things.  
He was going on Dr. Maine’s writings now. That was all he had to guide him.  
His footsteps echoed down the stairwell.  
He could hear the sounds of clanking pots and pans, and voices.  
The rest of the crew was most likely already up. They were early risers for the most part.   
With the exception of Gaige, that girl could sleep the whole day away if you let her.  
Axton rounded the corner slowly.  
“AMIGO YOU”RE ALIVE!!!??” Came Salvador’s booming voice.  
Axton flinched at the sudden noise and continued over to the large kitchen table.  
He drew out his chair and slowly eased himself down into it.  
“Yeah, yeah, how you son’s of bitches doin?” Axton said gruffly cocking a weak smile.  
“WE HAVE UNFERTILIZED BABY CHICKENS FOR EATING!!!!” Krieg screamed across the table.  
Axton had been around the Psycho long enough to know that meant something along the lines of “We have eggs for breakfast, would you like some?”.  
Axton chuckled lightly.  
“I’d like some, thanks.” He responded.  
Krieg seemed pleased and shoved the massive plate of eggs down the long table.  
Axton grabbed a plate and scooped a good portion of eggs onto it, then continued to fill it with bacon and some toast.  
About that time Zero and Maya joined the morning activities.  
Maya froze in place when she saw Axton at the table, trying his best to shovel as much food as possible down his throat at one time.  
He looked up at her, his mouth full of food and managed a messy smile.   
“Axton, you’re feeling better?” She asked gently coming over and rubbing his shoulder.  
He nodded slowly.  
“I’m gettin there.” He said shrugging.  
Maya ruffled his hair.  
“It’s good to see you up and around again.” She whispered.  
Zero went about making everybody a fresh pot of coffee and for the first time in days the breakfast table seemed complete.   
The food was good and the company was even better.  
Axton had missed this.   
Missed mornings that included lots of swearing with full mouths, and burping competitions. Krieg insisting on eating with his axe instead of real silverware and Maya casually phase locking dishes to move them out of harms way when fights and arm wrestling matches broke out.   
You couldn’t help but to love the misfit gang. They were rough around the edges, and loud, and downright ridiculous most the time but they were family.   
Axton finished his plate, picked it up and dispensed it in the sink with a clink.  
He headed for the door, pulling his hoodie up over his head. The rain was skill coming down and he knew the walk to Dr. Zed’s would be a wet one.   
Maya gently came up behind him as he headed for the door.  
“Hey, going out?” She whispered questionably.  
“Yeah. Got errands to run.” Axton said shrugging.  
Maya furrowed her eyebrows at him.  
“Errands huh?” She questioned folding her arms.  
God Maya caught onto everything.  
Axton nodded.  
“Yup.” He answered shortly avoiding her eyes.  
“What kind?” She asked slowly.  
“The errand kind.” Axton answered stubbornly.  
Maya shook her head.  
“Who runs errands on a day like this?” She whispered.  
“I do apparently. I promise I’m not gunna get myself into trouble. I just need to go for a walk.” Axton sighed frowning at her.   
Maya nodded.   
“Ok. Ok...Just be safe.” She said turning to go back to the breakfast table.  
Axton shut the door behind him and headed out into the gray scale world.  
The rain was lighter now, falling in sheets on the barren land.   
Axton jogged down the path from the castle, his boots splashing mud up his pant’s legs.   
He hit town and ducked underneath the canopies of shops to keep out of the rain.  
Sanctuary was a ghost town, the citizens all huddled in their homes to keep out of the rain. There were lights from fires in homes, and the sounds of music flowing through the cracks under doors.  
The city had rejoiced in the events of the past few days. Celebrated. Even in the dreary weather there was reason for joy.  
For them at least.   
Axton frowned as he thought about it.   
They celebrated the death of a man that they didn’t even know. They didn’t know him. They didn’t understand.   
Death, no matter the circumstances is nothing to celebrate.  
Axton grimaced and hurried on toward Zed’s.  
He entered the open metal door and pushed his hood back, squinting in the bright light.  
He walked into the foul smelling room and came upon Zed, who was bust pulling bullets out of a man.  
He held the man down as he screamed.   
Zed jabbed the pliers into the wound and yanked out the little piece of metal. He dropped it into the metal tray and clapped his hands together.  
He went about stitching the bleeding man up and then stood back to look over his work.  
It was only then that Zed noticed Axton standing there.  
“Axton! Boy watcha been up to! Haven’t seen you in a while!” Zed exclaimed as he helped the man up.   
“Now Jim keep those clean, they start oozing you come on back. Try avoiding gettin all shot up again.” Zed said wagging his finger at the man.  
The man nodded and left the shop slowly.  
“Sooo how can I help ya.” Zed asked crossing his arms over his aproned chest.   
Blood was splattered down the front of it like a badge of honor. No doctor Axton had ever encountered ran around with a butchers apron on, except Zed.  
Only on Pandora.  
“Gotta ask a favor.” Axton said lowly.  
Zed raised his eyebrows, he knew that tone all too well.  
That was the tone of someone who wanted something...but wanted it to be kept secret.  
“Whats that?” Zed asked curiously.   
“I need organs.” Axton whispered.  
“I got those. Which ones?” Zed asked cocking an eyebrow.   
“All of them.” Axton replied.  
Zed chuckled and beckoned to the young man, prodding him to follow.  
Axton looked back at the door and then followed the Doctor’s heels.   
Zed lead him down a long hallway and then fished a set of keys out of his pocket.  
He unlocked the heavy door and opened it up.  
A freezer.   
It was a massive room sized freezer.  
“Let’s go shoppin, shall we?” Zed chuckled rubbing his hands together.  
After an hour Axton had a full cooler full of fresh organs and a very pleased Zed following him around like a puppy dog.  
Zed enjoyed sifting through organs way too much.  
Axton paid him well.  
He had money to spare from looting, so that wasn’t an issue really.   
Zed seemed more than happy to help.  
Zed never asked what they were for, and Axton mentally thanked him for that.  
He liked a man who didn’t ask many questions when in situations like this.   
Axton thanked him many times over, and was gone into the rain.  
When Axton returned, the house was particularly quiet.   
He slipped in silently and headed off to his room.  
The better he got these into the lab...the better.  
He needed to put them into laboratory freezer as quickly as possible.   
Axton snuck into his room and shut the door quietly.   
He packed the cooler into the small freezer in the lab and sighed.  
He was really going through with this...  
He was really going to do this.  
Did this make him crazy?  
Did this make him less human?  
Did this make him morally wrong?  
How dare he think he could play with this kind of power...  
But...he was too far in.  
He’d do anything to have him back...even if it meant doing the unthinkable.  
A knock to the laboratory door snapped Axton from his thoughts.  
Axton yelped and slammed the door to the freezer shut.  
Maya stood in the doorframe a curious look on her face.  
“I knocked on the bedroom door, you didn’t answer. Sorry didn’t mean to startle you.” Maya said narrowing her eyes at him.  
Axton leaned away from the freezer and looked at her nervously.  
“Naw you’re good...just didn’t expect company.” Axton said rubbing the back of his head.  
“You been cleaning up here or what?” Maya said nodding toward the machine in the middle of the room.   
Axton shrugged.  
“Yeah. Just...tuning up some of the equipment is all.” He said trying to act nonchalant.  
Maya’s eyes swept up the machine and back down it.  
“What’s it do?” She questioned looking back to Axton.  
“Dunno. Pretty cool piece of medical equipment though. But I never did figure out what it does.” Axton lied.  
Maya crossed her arms and nodded.  
“How’d the errands go?” She asked.  
Axton shrugged again.  
“Good I guess.” He mused.  
She looked at him thoughtfully.  
“I know when you’re lying Axton.” She said suddenly.  
Axton’s eyes snapped up to meet her amber orbs.  
“What are you really doing up here?” She whispered.  
Axton sighed and approached her.  
He made to walk right by her and avoid the question, but he paused for a moment.  
“I don’t know...something crazy.” He whispered before brushing past her and leaving the room.


	3. Only Monsters Rob Graves

Only Monsters Rob Graves

Axton stood at the window. The rain was still coming down pretty hard.  
The wind was blowing sheets of it upon the windows of the bedroom. Slapping the water against the glass harshly.  
He breathed out nervously.   
He looked to the middle of the room. To the collection of objects he could only describe as.... a grave robbing kit.  
A shovel, a body bag dragged out of the lab, a raincoat, rain boots, and a lantern....yeah definitely a grave robbing kit.   
God grave robbing sounded so awful.  
Axton shuddered.  
He’d seen a lot of death before...but this...this was in an entirely different ball park.   
It was well passed two in the morning. He’d spent the hours waiting for the others to go to bed, and mustering up the courage to go through with it.  
He could do this. He had to.  
Axton took a deep breath in and started across the room.  
He slung the heavy black raincoat over his shoulders, and pulled on the rain boots.  
He picked up the shovel and bag, then headed for the door.  
If he was going to go. He had to go now.  
He shut the door to the house softly, trying his best to be as quiet as possible and then looked out into the rainy night.  
He stood in the stoop, watching the water drain off from the roof, drizzling down in patterned sheets.   
The dripping of rain was all that kissed his sensitive ears.   
He was going straight to hell for this.  
He took a deep breath, and ventured out into the night, raincoat flapping around his calves, boots sloshing in the overly wet earth. His mouth was but a thin line on his face, his breathing heavy.   
A poor, lost soul, mad with loss, mad with determination....or maybe just plain mad in general.   
The cemetery loomed at the bottom of a great hill. The road twisting and turning down toward it. Like a great serpent leading those to their final resting place.   
No.   
Not final, Axton though dazedly.   
A wicked grin parted his lips.  
The gods thought they could take, could steal as they pleased. No...no...he would change that.   
He would defy them.   
He could change the chain of events that life held. If this worked...he could bring others back. He could bring those that deserved a second chance back from the other realm.   
He would help anybody that was worthy of the great machine.  
But only those that understood it. Only those that respected it.   
Some would shun it, he knew this.   
But that was because they did not see...did not see it’s true beauty.  
Axton laughed maniacally to himself.  
God it was beautiful.  
Axton’s paced slowed steadily, each step waning until finally he stood anchored to the spot.   
There it was.  
Lightning jetted across the sky, lighting up the scene before him.  
A large iron fence stood between him, and the graves.  
It loomed over his head like a living creature.  
The protector of the graveyard.   
Axton looked up at the wicked trees seeming to hover over the cemetery possessively.   
Their branches hung like boney fingers, clawing at the sky.   
Axton felt chills run down his spine.   
He shook his head and pushed the gate open. It squealed sickly as it allowed him passage.   
He stepped carefully, avoiding walking on gravestones. His feet sloshed in the wet earth, creating nasty suction noises with each step.  
Axton paused for a moment.  
His eyes squinting in the now pouring rain.   
He gently pushed the tip of the shovel into the earth, staring down at the plot beneath his feet.   
The massive wicked tree was the only marker the grave had.  
The fresh dirt had been melted away by the constant rain.   
Axton felt a lump form in his throat.   
He’d get him back tonight.  
No matter the cost.   
Axton slung the body bag over a nearby headstone and gripped the heavy shovel in both hands.  
He looked down at the unmarked grave as the rain fell around him. Puddling around his feet, soaking into the ground.   
Thunder grumbled just over the mountains to his right.  
There was no moon tonight. The lantern served as his only lighting in the darkness. It was a black night. Black as death...  
Axton grimaced and set the lantern down next to the grave site.   
He lifted the shovel and more lightening flickered across the wicked sky.  
Axton breath out.  
“I’m bringing you home Jack.” He whispered as he plunged the shovel into the earth with all his strength.  
And he began to dig.   
Minutes passed.  
Hours passed.  
Axton looked up from the hole in the earth, muddy, wet, and exhausted.  
His arms ached from shoveling over and over again.   
They felt like they may fall off at any moment.  
He wiped the rain from his brow with the back of his hand and breathed out raggedly.   
He was mad with determination now.   
Pushing his body too hard, forcing it even when he knew he shouldn’t.   
He knew this wasn’t going to be easy...evil deeds never were.  
He cried out weakly and thrust the shovel down hard.  
It thunked against something hard. Axton paused and looked down.  
The moment of truth had come upon him.  
He could stop. He could just shove all the dirt back in and forget he had ever thought this was a good idea.  
No.  
He would not stop.  
He wouldn’t...until Jack was alive.  
Axton scraped the dirt back with the shovel blade revealing the plain wood of the coffin.  
He outwardly groaned.   
He’d refused to look at Jack when they’d buried him.  
He just couldn’t handle it.   
And now here he was.  
He’d have to see him in death...before he could see him in life again.  
Axton felt like he was going to vomit from the nerves.   
He carefully popped the coffin latch, took a deep breath...and opened it.   
He stood still for a moment.  
Not sure whether to cry or to be horrified.   
There he was.   
The presence of death itself.   
All the color was gone from him.   
His eyes were closed almost peacefully...it really just looked like he was sleeping.   
Axton reached a hand down carefully, almost fearing he’d suddenly wake up.   
Everything about this was wrong.  
So very fucking wrong.  
The racing of his heart and the bile threatening to come up from his stomach told him so.  
He was absent of his mask.   
Something that was far out of the norm.  
He’d lost it in the fight...and Axton had taken it to the castle. For fear it would be destroyed. It was gruesome, but Axton just couldn’t bare the thought of some bandits using the mask as a fucking trophy, or an object of mockery.   
Axton had seen the scars before.  
Months back.  
He’d asked Jack why he wore the mask.  
It was just a curious question really, but it turned to guilt when Jack got emotional about it.   
He was sensitive about his face.  
Weeks later, he’d taken the mask off for Axton and explained.  
Axton remembered kissing his scars and telling him he was gorgeous.   
Jack had said nothing, but the kiss he gave Axton had said it all.  
Jack stopped sleeping with the mask on after that.  
Aton relished in the good memories fondly and then looked back down into the coffin.   
They’d make more memories like that.  
Axton reached down into the earth and hauled him up, carefully hoisting the limp form up over his shoulder.  
He laid him gently in the body bag and began filling in the grave. He patted the earth with the shovel and then lifted Jack into his arms, cradling him like precious cargo.   
It was easier to handle once his face was covered.   
Axton just kept telling himself he was sleeping.  
A deep, deep sleep.  
But it was only sleep.   
Nothing more.  
Axton must have looked like some kind of horror, trudging up the hill, body slung over both arms, rain falling around him.  
It was all worth it.  
It was worth it for him.

Meanwhile:   
Maya carefully shut the door to her room.  
She left a sleeping Zero sprawled out on the bed snoring softly in the throws of heavy slumber.   
She had business to attend to.   
Every since that day’s encounter with Axton she couldn’t rest.  
Something strange was going on with the commando...and she was going to find out what.   
She knew he was depressed and lost...but today suddenly he had changed. That sorrow and mourning had morphed into determination and secrets. But...why?  
She had to find out.   
Maya trudged up the stairs and slowly opened Axton’s door. She peered inside.  
Nothing.   
He wasn’t there.   
She chewed her lip and narrowed her eyes.  
The laboratory?   
Maya slunk across the room and pried the lab door open. All the lights were on...but no Axton.  
Maya looked around cautiously.  
What the fuck was he hiding?  
She immediately headed over to the Freezer, wherever Axton was, she didn’t want him returning and finding her snooping.   
She jerked the door open and looked inside.  
She pulled out one of the white plastic little packages. It was labeled “Kidney”.  
Another was labeled “Heart”, “Large intestine”, “small intestine” and so on.  
Maya placed the little package back, confusion spreading across her face.  
“Organs?” She whispered lowly.  
She turned slowly to look at the massive machine sitting center in the room.  
“Bullshit he doesn’t know what this is for...” She whispered walking up to it.  
And that was when she noticed it.  
The little leather notebook, sitting closed on the desk just beside the machine.  
Maya knitted her eyebrows together.  
Was Axton keeping a diary or something?  
She picked the small book up and read the front slowly.  
“Resurrection....” She whispered her eyes widening.  
She frantically opened the book, flipping through the pages, seeing flashes of dead test subjects.   
She covered her mouth to stifle a gasp as she fell on the last chapter.   
And as if on cue, there was a thud to her right.  
Maya wheeled around, eyes wavering in her sockets.  
There Axton stood, soaking, muddy, rain jacket slung around his shoulders....holding a body bag in his strong arms.  
A crack of lightening illuminated his figure.  
His face was lacking of emotion.   
Hard, determined...frightening.   
Maya cried out softly in shock.  
Axton’s expression was dark as he looked at her.  
They stood there for a moment staring each other down.  
Neither spoke, nor moved.   
As if waiting for the other to do something.   
To end the standoff that seemed to last an eternity.   
“God...God no Axton-Axton you can’t!” She stuttered looking to him and then to figure in his arms.  
Axton said nothing and entered the room.  
“Axton...Axton listen to me....you cannot...cannot do this.” She whispered as Axton laid the bag down on the long table next to the machine.   
She stepped backward fearfully.  
“No...No I can’t do this....not without your help.” Axton whispered looking at her sternly.  
Maya’s mouth gaped open a little as she tried to form words, but everything was escaping her miserably.   
“Axton what the fuck are you talking about...?” Maya whispered.   
Axton grabbed the notebook off the table and waved it in front of him.  
“Doctor Maine, the scientist that this lab belonged to, he did it Maya...he brought the dead back. He lost his wife....and he brought her back.” Axton whispered his voice crazed as he looked at her.   
Maya scrambled away from him.  
“Axton, you can’t be serious. That Machine...that’s what it does?” She whispered looking to the large mechanical beast.  
Axton ran his hand down the entrance to it.  
“Yes....this..this is The Waking. He designed her...this machine...this machine is a miracle Maya.” Axton mused staring dazedly at the machine.   
Maya shook her head.  
“No, No Axton that machine is playing god, and you have no fucking business in that!!! Have you gone mad!?” She cried desperately.   
Axton chuckled lowly.   
“I don’t know...maybe I have. If the Doctor can do it....I can too....but the machine...The Waking...it is not strong enough by itself...for a human resurrection to be successful...it needs a Siren’s power.” Axton explained slowly, his large, pleading eyes resting on Maya expectantly.   
Maya just stared at him.  
She did not say a word for a very long time. The pause of silence hung over the pair like heavy drapes.   
“You expect me to help bring Jack back from the dead.” She whispered softly.  
Axton looked at the floor and then to the body bag on the table.  
“Maya....please...it’s...it’s my last hope.” Axton whispered.  
“Axton...what you are asking me to do...it’s it’s unthinkable...and how do you even know it will work?” She sighed looking at him and shaking her head.  
Axton clutched the notebook desperately.  
“It will work. I know it will....I have to try....” Axton said softly.  
Maya cursed under her breath and looked away from the commando, crossing her arms across her thin chest.  
“Axton...it’s- it’s not natural...” She whispered.  
“I don’t care. I’ll be the one pulling the switch. I’ll be the one going to hell for it, if it comes down to that.” Axton said down casting his eyes.   
Maya sighed and brushed her fingers through her wispy blue hair.   
She looked back to the commando, his eyes begging her, needing her, waiting for a response.   
“You really love him don’t you...” She whispered looking at him with soft eyes.  
“Yeah... I do.” He whispered sadly.  
He avoided further eye contact with Maya.   
He shouldn’t have put this on her.  
She had been such a good friend to him through all of this. She had kept his darkest secrets wrapped and tucked away from other’s prying eyes.  
How dare he ask so much of her.  
It was too much.  
Too sudden.  
Too awful.  
Friend’s do not ask friend’s to deal in the darkest of arts.  
Maya made a small unsure noise under her breath. The kind one makes when tossing over an idea in their head. The kind of idea any moral soul knows is wrong doing at its very finest. But you still consider it. The tell tale battle between good and bad. Just because something can be done...should it be?  
Maya’s eyes flicked up to the table with the body bag splayed across it.   
She flicked her wrist and a small energy ball began to form, glowing forth from her open palm. It licked and swayed as it hugged to her hand. Like a candle flame in the open air.   
Her tattoos glowered weakly and slowly she looked up to Axton.  
He was watching her with intent eyes, waiting, watching...hoping.   
“Well...Vault Hunters aren’t exactly known for playing on the safe side of the tracks, huh?” She mused looking over at Axton slowly.  
Axton looked at her hopefully.   
“But Axton...if anything goes wrong...you gotta be prepared to stop. You have to be prepared for anything....even if this doesn’t work. We have no idea what is going to happen.” Maya whispered sternly.   
Axton nodded darkly.   
“I understand. I take full responsibility...for whatever happens.” Axton whispered softly and then paused for a moment.  
He rested his hand on the body bag.  
“No matter what.” Axton finished breathing out slowly.   
His whole body felt like it was coming apart with nerves.  
His eyes flicked up to meet Maya’s intense gaze.  
Her energy was radiating around her like christmas lights. Flashing and swaying, sending light dancing over the laboratory and all it’s horrid machines. All it’s beasts that played god, and made the impossible...possible.  
Axton called it a miracle, she called it a monstrosity. But either way, there in front of her stood her best friend and companion. She’d help him until the very end. She’d do anything for him.  
Even if it meant this.   
“Just tell me what to do. You’re running this show.” Maya sighed looking at him, a small smile tugging at her lips.   
“You’re the mad scientist.” She chuckled.  
Axton smiled at her widely.   
The small sense of humor was strained, and nervous but there was the Maya he knew and loved. The Maya that loved him.   
That she did.   
She loved Axton, in a way that only best friends can.   
Maya shot him a dark look.  
“Whatever happens though. I’m here Axton.” She said clenching her fists as they glowed blue.  
His lips were but a thin line across his strong face.   
He nodded understandingly.   
Axton looked to the machine, and then to the body bag.  
It was time.  
And with that...Axton was in motion.   
He threw open the machines door with a loud clatter.   
He shoved the notebook in his back pocket and approached the table.  
He ripped the body bag’s zipper down, allowing it to yawn open.  
Maya felt a little sick as the bag opened.   
She’d seen plenty of death...but this made her stomach turn.  
Axton lifted Jack into his arms, his limp head jerking back as he did so. The bullet wound in his chest gaped, dried blood still clinging to his clothing.   
Axton seemed unfazed as he tenderly laid Jack’s body down on the table of the machine.   
Axton paused for a moment, his hand gently touching Jack’s cold palm.   
Axton slammed the door closed and looked to Maya.  
He grabbed two heavy wires connected with some kind of handle and handed it to Maya.  
“When I say so. You let loose of everything you have.” Axton said darkly.  
Maya simply nodded meekly.  
She was trying to ignore the grizzly scene through the glass windows of The Waking.   
This was the very man that had tried to kill them numerous times. The man that had tried to destroy this planet. The man who had done more evil than the six vault hunters all combined. And here they were...going to bring him back. Would he be the same? Would they just be awakening the same evil they had killed off?   
Maya looked away in dismay.  
Axton was filling a tray with the fresh organs, a look of determination splattered across his face as he was up to his elbows in blood.  
Axton looked to Maya again.  
“Do not let it go until I tell you.” He instructed his eyes sparkling with something dark. Something intense.  
Something that Maya had never seen in him before.  
It was frightening and dangerous.   
Axton grabbed the massive handle of the monstrous mechanical beast and heaved it down. The machine gave a sickening growl as its mechanics whirred to life. The wires at the top illuminated and sparked slightly, sending little embers down on Axton’s feet.   
Axton pushed up the first lever and the tray of organs was sucked into the machine. It began making hissing sounds and the glass fogged, shielding everything inside from prying eyes. Axton paused on the second lever, waiting as the machine worked.   
Maya kept her eyes fixed solely on Axton, gripping the handle for dear life.   
Her breath was coming in short pants, her nerves getting the best of her as she waiting for the signal from her counterpart.  
Suddenly the light bar on the machine flashed green.   
Axton pushed up the second lever and the noises coming from the machine intensified.   
Axton looked to Maya, eyes wild.  
“Get ready.” He snarled, his palm wavering over the third, and final lever.   
The lights on the machine flashed green and it gave off a buzzer-like noise.  
“NOW!” Axton bellowed pointing to Maya.  
Blue energy flamed around her body, exploding in a massive ball of light. Her hands seared the handle as she gripped it, sending massive amounts of energy through the wires. The entire machine was illuminated blue and glass tube was bathed in light.   
Axton shielded his eyes from the blinding light and then looked into the glass chamber, body shaking, breath ragged.  
The glass chamber glowered blue as the energy entered it.   
The blue flow of flames entered Jack’s body with a jolt, engulfing him, taking him.  
Axton was barely breathing, his eyes fixated on the chamber.   
And then.......movement.  
Jack’s fingers flinched, ever so slightly, but the movement was there.  
Axton drew in a sharp breath.  
Jack’s fingers curled and straightened, as if testing the life now flowing through his bones.   
His hand lifted, grabbing at the air, fisting around something that didn’t exist.   
It hung there, stopping, pausing...  
Suddenly Jack’s eyes flew open, his lone blue orb glowering with energy.  
His back lurched up, and his head tilted back, mouth agape as he let loose a bone chilling yell.  
Axton stood frozen, unsure of what to do.  
Maya looked to him with concerned, glowing eyes.  
“AXTON SHOULD I STOP??” She yelled in panic.  
Axton slammed his hands down on the table.  
“NO DON’T STOP!!!!” He bellowed over Jack’s screams.  
Jack’s hands scraped on the table, his eyes wild and frightened.   
“JUST A LITTLE LONGER!!!” Axton insisted his eyes horrified.   
Maya’s energy was engulfing the room, flickering and growing like a living beast.  
Jack’s yells seemed to be growing in intensity.  
“AXTON SOMEBODY IS GOING TO HEAR HIM!!!” Maya pleaded.  
“NOT YET!!!!!” Axton snapped desperately.   
Jack’s body bucked as the energy overflowed around him.   
The machine was sparking like mad, its mechanics whirring loudly, gears clattering together as it overworked itself.   
Then finally...the lights on the machine began flashing green.   
“CUT IT!!!!” Axton screamed.  
Maya let loose of the handle and the blue energy flowing around her cut off with a flash of light.  
Maya stepped away from the now smoking machine, hands shaking with fear.  
Axton ran over to the machine and pulled the doors open frantically.  
He heaved the table out, and moved back quickly as Jack lurched off the table and clattered to the floor.  
Jack hit the floor hard, busting his lip in the process.  
He sat up dazedly, touching his fingers to his lip and coming away with blood.   
He seemed confused and dazed by the sight of his own blood.  
Axton took a step toward him cautiously.   
“Jack...” Axton tried slowly attempting to move closer to the panicked other man.   
Jack looked up at Axton with wild, fearful eyes.  
He scrambled backward frantically.  
“W-What happened!!??? Where the fuck am I!???” Jack bellowed attempting to stand, but his weak legs gave out on him and he ended up crashing to the floor again.  
“Jack! JACK! Calm down...it’s me...Axton!” Axton said, eyebrows furrowed together in concern.   
Jack looked at him in confusion.  
“But I...but where...where are they??” Jack sputtered looking from side to side in panic.   
“Jack, it’s just me and Maya...there’s nobody else here. Who are you talking about?” Axton pushed kneeling down in front of Jack, approaching him as if approaching a wild animal.  
Jack looked at Axton, his one good eye wide and frightened.  
“The keepers.” Jack whispered frantically.  
Axton frowned deeply.  
What the hell was he talking about?  
He would touch on that subject later...he was sure there would be many questions from the reanimated man. He had just crossed the thresh hold from death back to the living. Axton could only imagine what kinds of things he had seen...  
“No. No. Jack, it’s me Axton, don’t you remember??” Axton pressed.  
Jack looked at him, slow realization slipping over his face.  
“Axton...?” Jack whispered slowly.  
A smile broke across Axton’s face.  
“Yes, Axton. I brought you back Jack.” Axton whispered to the panicked man.  
Jack frowned.  
“Brought...brought me back?” Jack whispered slowly.  
“Yes. Jack...you were...dead.” Axton said softly.  
Jack looked even more confused.  
He looked down at himself, hands absentmindedly touching his chest, fingers grabbing at his tattered shirt.   
“Dead?....I was dead?....” Jack questioned slowly, looking at Axton with hurt and confusion in his eye.   
Axton nodded slowly.  
“But, but that doesn’t matter. I brought you back. Do you...do you remember me?...do you remember...us?” Axton pressed cautiously, concern spreading across his face.   
Jack just stared at him blankly.  
Axton frowned and slowly reached out to touch Jack’s face.  
Jack’s expression softened at the touch.  
“A-Axton....AXTON!” Jack seemed to be jolted back into reality, his memory flooding back to him.  
Jack clambered to his knees and practically fell into Axton’s lap, throwing his arm’s around Axton’s heavy shoulders.  
Axton nearly fell backwards, arms returning the embrace put upon him.  
Axton’s big fingers came up to run through Jack’s mud caked hair.  
Axton felt the tears sliding down his cheeks as he held the other man tightly.   
Jack buried his face in the crook of Axton’s neck, shivering and shaking. Axton sobbed into Jack’s shoulder, unashamed of the emotion coming over him in waves.  
Jack was warm against him.  
Axton could feel Jack’s pounding heartbeat against his chest.   
He was dirty and wet.   
But he was warm  
He was alive.


	4. Two Monsters and Hyperion Yellow

Two Monsters and Hyperion Yellow

Maya looked on with soft, understanding eyes. She knew the two needed their space. The scene drew up emotions from the Siren that were unexpected and foreign.  
She drew in a deep, whisper of a breath and let her shoulders fall.  
She was exhausted from the exert of energy. Her muscled felt stretched, limp, and used. She felt heavy, tired.  
“Axton...” She whispered, her voice light and strained.  
Axton looked up to meet Maya’s tired eyes as he continued to cradle Jack.  
“If you need anything, you know where to find me.” She breathed tiredly, looking over the two men softly.  
Axton simply nodded and offered her a small, grateful smile. A smile that voiced everything he could not express through words. A smile that addressed this favor that could never possibly be repaid. A favor beyond what friends ask of each other. He could never be able to thank her properly, not in all the days that he lived. This went beyond the lines of friendship. Maya was a saint.  
“Thank you.” Axton whispered, eyes wet with shed tears, voice cracking at the words.  
Maya smiled tiredly at the commando.  
“I will check on you in the morning if you want?” She said her eyes so very soft, motherly, loving.  
Axton nodded.  
“I’d like that.” He assured her.  
With a small nod, Maya turned and was gone.  
A heavy silence was beginning to settle over the room now. Seconds before it had been filled with terrible, terrible sounds...and now everything seemed to still. The machine laid dormant again, its inner workings dying, the life fading from them.  
Jack made no sound as Axton held him.  
His fingers dug into Axton’s shirt harshly, as if he feared that Axton could fade away at any second.  
Axton made a move to lean away and Jack’s hands clenched frantically.  
“N-no, no, don’t leave me...” Jack stuttered, fear rising like bile up from his throat.  
Axton rubbed a gentle hand over the crumpled man’s shoulder blades.  
“I’m not. I promise. I’m not going anywhere.” Axton whispered soothingly.  
“Can you stand?” Axton asked softly.  
Jack shook his head pitifully.  
“That’s ok, I’ve got you....let’s get you cleaned up, ok?” Axton whispered in Jack’s mud caked ear.  
Jack nods again, words failing him miserably.  
Axton gently snakes his strong arms around the thin man, cradling him tenderly, lifting him to his heavy chest as if he weighs nothing.  
He’s so filthy.  
His hair stiff with mud in some places, and soaked with water in others. Dirty water streaked down Axton’s wrists and dribbled off his elbows.  
He leaves a trail of muddied water in his wake as he takes Jack away.  
Takes him away from the machine that birthed him to life once more.  
Jack weakly hangs his arms around Axton’s thick neck, his eyes barely open, lids falling over them tiredly.  
His body is alive, blood rushing through his veins...but he’s so weak. So very weak, and so very tired.  
Exhausted, is a better word. His body strained from the overworking of life being thrust back upon it. His body was dormant, done, ready for decay...and now it was forced into hosting a soul once more.  
Jack’s tired blue eye looked up at the commando through dirty locks of hair. Axton’s eyes were tired too.  
But tired for entirely different reasons.  
Exhausted from the worry. Exhausted from the thought that Jack would not be returned to him.  
Exhausted from the thought that Jack may not be able to stay. He was alive. Axton had taken all the right steps, followed the book as close as possible...but would it be enough? Could something still go wrong?  
Could he possibly lose Jack again?  
Axton’s fingers tightened on the slender man as he carried him to the bathroom.  
He didn’t want to think like that...but he had to. He had to be prepared for anything. The first few hours were crucial. He had to make sure Jack was carefully monitored.  
Axton pulled the shower door back and carefully turned the nobs, all while cautiously juggling Jack’s weakened form.  
When the water ran warm Axton gently set Jack down on the bathroom floor. Jack looked like a frightened child, unwilling to leave Axton’s protective arms. Terrified of everything around him. The living world was alien now, and he was out of place.  
Jack’s fingers clutched Axton’s shirt for dear life, eye wide as he looked at Axton, unwilling to let the commando’s grip leave him.  
Axton offered him a soft, genuine smile.  
“I’m right here. Just gotta get you out of these clothes.” Axton whispered to the scared man.  
Jack’s fingers reluctantly loosened, eye searching Axton, as if to make sure he was being truthful.  
Axton reached down and stripped the jacket off Jack’s shoulders. He dropped it onto the floor with a wet, sick, undesirable, slap. His clothes were wet with earth, blood, and who knew what else.  
The stench of death clung to them like a heavy drape.  
The smell alone was enough to make any sane soul gag.  
Axton did his best to ignore the smell.  
But it was putrid, and only seemed to grow in intensity as he pulled back the clothing layers.  
Axton gently tugged Jack’s shirt off, Jack weakly lifting his thin arms, allowing the soaked clothing to leave him.  
The shirt was the worst.  
The last shred of clothing between Jack’s flesh and Axton eyes.  
It had soaked up the worst of the blood from the gunshot. What was once orange was now a dark, threatening, maroon.  
Axton balled it up and tucked it underneath the growing pile of shed garments. Jack didn’t need to see that.  
Not now at least.  
Jack sat hunched over, struggling to keep his eyes open, a pitiful frown set upon his face as Axton slipped each of his shoes off his chilled feet.  
Axton was gentle in the taking of clothing. Slowly taking each piece from Jack’s now shivering body.  
Axton hauled Jack up by his shoulders and let him lean heavy on him as he drew down his tattered jeans and undergarments.  
Jack whimpered in the cold, legs shaking violently, threatening to go out again.  
Axton grabbed him protectively to stop him from teetering over.  
Jack’s lip was still bleeding a little from the first spill, he didn’t need another one.  
Axton gently sat Jack down in the shower’s streaming water, steam now billowing up from the tile flooring.  
Jack leaned hard on the stoney colored tiling and his body seemed to unravel at the offering of warmth.  
Axton looked over Jack with loving, concerned eyes. Watching him as if he were a newborn child, and all the world was dangerous to him.  
Axton looked down at himself, he was just as disgusting as Jack had been. The stench of grave robbing clung to him like an unwanted guest.  
He grimaced and began stripping out of his clothes.  
He added them to the stinking pile in the bathroom corner and joined Jack in the warm, running water.  
He closed the glass door and gently eased himself down into a crouching position beside Jack.  
Axton gently pulled Jack into his lap, allowing him to settle between his knees and lean hard on his broad chest.  
“There. Better?” Axton whispered softly in Jack’s ear.  
Jack nodded slowly.  
The motion was weak, and strained, his neck heavy with the need for rest.  
His body begged for it.  
Axton lathered Jack’s hair with shampoo and massaged the suds into his wispy brown locks. Jack sighed outwardly at the advancement.  
He seemed to melt into Axton’s touch.  
Put at ease by his gentle, working fingers.  
Axton continued down Jack’s body, soaping him, washing him, the memories of the night washing down the drain in the form of muddied, crimson water.  
Once Jack and himself were clean Axton just allowed the moment to hang there.  
Jack rested his cheek into the crook of Axton’s neck, as if needing to be closer to him. Not wanting to be any farther from Axton than this.  
Needing to feel the commandos heartbeat thrumming just underneath the flesh. Needing to feel that he is here, present in the very moment Jack needed him most.  
Axton soothes his hand through Jack’s wet, freshly clean hair.  
He smells like lavender.  
Maya’s borrowed shampoo because Axton had run out and was too lazy to buy more meant for men. So thick, fragrant, lavender it was.  
If Jack had been himself, Axton was sure he’d have made some snide comment about it. Axton wished he would.  
Jack’s snark was greatly missed at the moment as he laid crumpled against Axton’s chest.  
Axton immediately wondered...if Jack would ever be the same. Or would he just be the shell of a man that crossed the line between life and death and saw the horrors and would never recover from that.  
What had he seen?  
On the other side...  
Axton frowned against Jack’s scalp.  
Only time would tell if Jack would ever really be ready to explain what all he’d experienced after the living world.  
Axton had no way of knowing that Jack that he had brought back. Would he be the Jack Axton had fallen for in the first place? Or the Jack that had spiraled downward into a place of insanity that he could not be dragged from.  
Axton refused to let that happen again.  
He would not let that darkness take Jack again.  
Axton’s fingers ran down Jack’s slender shoulders thoughtfully, exploring the form beneath.  
Jack was thin. Much thinner than Axton had remembered.  
Jack had been formidable when he and Axton had first collided what felt like so long ago. His toned abdomen heaving against Axton’s in the front seat of the Hyperion vehicle.  
Axton’s palms had run up his torso, bundling Jack’s clothing around the tops of his wrists, pushing it up the CEO’s chest.  
Jack had snarled out some comment about “You like what you see kiddo?” and Axton had ignored it.  
Back then he’d still hated Jack.  
Hated him and wanted him in the same breath and the matter of the fact gave him a sick feeling in his stomach. Jack had still made him feel a little ill when he thought too much about it.  
But in that front seat, in that moment, where Jack sat spread across Axton’s lap like a king to a throne, Axton had forgotten that hate.  
Axton had pressed Jack into the glovebox meanly, bigger and heavier than the Hyperion overlord. But Jack had pushed back, strong, unpredictable and just as fucking mean. The first kiss was a power struggle. Teeth bumping a little too hard, tongues forcing down throats, hands grasping hair and flesh alike just attempting to find something to hold onto.  
Axton remembered the bruises from that time. They’d blossomed like ugly purple and red flowers across his back, his shoulders, and his torso where Jack had kneed him and he wasn’t exactly sure if had been an accident or not.  
But god he remembered how desperate Jack had looked. How he had completely come apart for Axton’s viewing pleasure as the commando had stroked his hard flesh feverishly. How he’d forced the CEO to come so hard he’d practically passed out. Axton buried to the hilt in Jack’s ass, the ring of flesh squeezing around his base over and over again as Jack had come all over the commando’s chest, the window and his own shirt. It was so fucking shameless.  
Axton smiled fondly into Jack’s hair.  
“You need sleep. Let’s get you to bed.” Axton breathed tiredly.  
He helped Jack up, but ultimately decided on just carrying the pitiful man again. Getting him to the bed would have taken ages if let walk on his own two feet.  
Axton laid Jack down on the heavy comforters and fetched a t-shirt and some sweat pants.  
They were a little too big for the thin man, but the would have to do.  
Axton pulled the sweatpants onto Jack with little help from the other man, who was already drifting in and out of sleep.  
Axton tucked the covers around Jack’s form and the tired man curled into the warm bedding, sighing out slowly.  
Axton slipped in beside him, arms curling around the slighter man’s already sleeping form. Axton knew Jack was already gone into the folds of sleep, but he just felt the need to say it.  
“I missed you...” Axton whispered against the shell of Jack’s ear.  
Jack did not stir, nor hear the comment.  
Maybe it was better that way.  
Axton knew it was said.  
And god was it ever true. 

Axton’s eyes rolled beneath their lids.  
His body fought away the oncoming awakening with all that it had. His soul was desperate to cling to the sleep that he had not had in days. The absence of sleep had left his body struggling along, empty and hollow. Tired and needing to just...sleep.  
Axton’s eyelids fluttered open slowly, softly, weakly.  
Morning sun blurred his vision and caused him to blink rapidly. He winced at the unexpected brightness.  
A small grumble of a moan reminded him that he was not alone in the large bed.  
Axton looked over to the opposite side of the bed, the side closest to the window.  
The lump of blankets was bathed in pearly light, illuminating the moment in yellow rays.  
The pile of comforters groaned and shifted slowly.  
Axton reached over to pull back the covers ever so slightly, only to be met by the squinted up glare of a freshly awoken Jack.  
Jack’s eyes pulled shut and he curled under the blankets away from the new sunlight.  
He rubbed the man through the comforters, touching Jack’s shoulder lightly.  
“You hungry?” Axton asked leaning over Jack’s form.  
Jack muttered something from underneath his tangle of sheets and comforters that sounded to be a type of yes.  
Axton looked on fondly at the other man as he curled back to sleep.  
Axton slipped on a pair of boxers modestly, and yanked the door open leaving Jack to rest.  
He locked the door behind him...just in case.  
Axton padded down the stairwell at a fast, jovial pace, taking two or three steps at a time.  
The house was bustling with noise, voice rising and falling and footsteps padding around the hard wood flooring.  
Axton immediately wondered what time of day it might be...  
Axton rounded the corner to find the table set with not breakfast, but lunch. Salvador and Krieg were eating in the living room, sharing a bag of chips noisily.  
Maya was humming and fixing herself a sandwich, Zero not far from her as per-normal. The guy followed her like a shadow. Obsessed with her, crooning over her, but then again who wouldn’t? Maya was a beautiful as they came. Her heart swelling with love and kindness for others. Her’s eyes always sparkling with wonder and concern for those in need.  
She looked up as Axton approached, a small smile breaking across her lips. The secret of what they had done hung between their gaze.  
Both knowing.  
Neither telling.  
“Well good afternoon commando.” She said smiling.  
“Feeling better? Sleep is good. You needed the rest to regenerate.” Zero mused displaying a smiling hologram in the commando’s direction.  
Axton nodded.  
“Yeah I’m feeling a lot better now. So what’s for lunch?” Axton said leaning on the counter.  
Suddenly there was a hard slap to Axton’s left ass cheek.  
He yelped and turned around rubbing his buttocks.  
“How’s about we have a slice of that sweet ass for lunch?” Gaige screeched laughing so hard Axton thought the weird redhead might pass out.  
“God damn it Gaige would you quit!” Axton bellowed.  
“Oh c’mon you big party pooper! I haven’t gotten to mess with you in like four days! I missed that nice bubble butt!” Gaige cackled as she danced passed him, grabbed an apple off the counter and headed off to join Salvador and Krieg in the den.  
“That’s why you shouldn’t wear form fitting boxers around the house.” Maya chuckled lightly finishing her lunchtime creation.  
Axton rolled his eyes and went about making lunch of his own.  
He fixed himself a sandwich adorned with turkey, lettuce, tomatoes, the works. Then went about making a second. Just ham and cheese. Nothing else.  
Jack was a picky son or a bitch.  
He liked nothing more on his sandwiches than the bare minimum.  
Maya smiled at him and the two sandwiches.  
Axton returned the small gesture and was gone, taking his lunch to eat “alone”.  
Axton unlocked his door and pushed it open with his shoulder, carefully balancing each plateful of lunch.  
The lump in the bed seemed to have not moved.  
Axton gently sat Jack’s plate on the bedside table and then eased himself onto the bed’s edge.  
The mattress dipped with the commando’s presence and the sleeping form underneath the comforters groaned in annoyance.  
Jack slowly sat up, the blankets pooling around his chest as he did so.  
He squinted at Axton, eyes tired, hair a tangled mess from sleeping on it wet.  
Axton just smiled at him.  
“Brought you food.” Axton said nodding toward the bedside table.  
Jack looked at the food, scrutinizing the plateful of sandwich, chips and an apple.  
Without another word Jack was leaned over, dragging the plate toward him. He set the food in his lap and went about stuffing it in his mouth as fast as possible.  
Normally Jack ate like a bird. Picking at it delicately, always refusing to use his hands. Manners were important to the former Hyperion CEO...but those seemed to go out the window rather quickly with the onset of near starvation. Technically his body had not had food in three days.  
He was absolutely famished.  
Jack swallowed obscenely, the almost completely consumed sandwich in one hand, and too many chips in the other.  
“Slow down you’re gunna choke.” Axton mused at the other man.  
Jack only looked at Axton sheepishly over his meal.  
He acted as if someone could take the food from him at any second.  
Fearful that he would not be able to keep the meal in the end.  
Axton could sense the fear, and hesitation in Jack’s eyes.  
The nourishment seemed so much more precious to Jack than Axton fully understood.  
Axton slowly shuffled across the bed to sit next to the brown haired man.  
He put one arm around Jack’s shoulder and rubbed it soothingly.  
A little bit of food clung to Jack’s lip as he frowned at Axton.  
The commando smiled gently and wiped the crumbs away with the pad of his thumb.  
They sat there in silence for a few moments. No words needed between the two men. Axton was ok with just sitting, just being there.  
He knew not what was going on in Jack’s head. What he had been through...  
“They didn’t let us eat.” Jack whispered softly, staring down at the food, his blue eye glossy and unmoving.  
Axton looked at him with, furrowed, concerned eyes.  
“Who didn’t...?” Axton whispered touching Jack’s cheek.  
Jack shook his head violently.  
His face screwed into an expression of utter terror and pain. His eyes squeezed shut and his teeth gritted, lips pulling back over clenched white teeth. He tried to hold them back. But they came anyway.  
The tears.  
Heavy and warm as they slid down Jack’s scarred cheeks.  
They collected in the deep hollows of the blue scar, wetting the taught skin delicately.  
Axton set his plate aside to pull Jack close to him.  
Jack wilted around him, shuttering with sobs, falling apart in the commando’s arms.  
Axton hugged him close, feeling Jack’s body convulse into rattling tears.  
Jack’s slender fingers scraped over Axton’s back, almost a little too roughly.  
The man seemed frantic to cling to Axton, for fear that Axton might suddenly just fade away.  
Like he was only a temporary thing.  
Only here for a moment before he would be gone.  
This was only for a second in time. If Jack blinked the man would be gone.  
The only thing he cared about would be gone.  
The only person he could cling to in his time of need.  
Jack sobbed shamelessly into Axton’s shoulder, burying his face in the crook of his neck.  
Axton shushed him softly.  
Seeing him like this was harder than he ever could have expected.  
Handsome Jack did not cry.  
Handsome Jack did not show emotion of any kind.  
Handsome Jack felt nothing.  
No love.  
No sorrow.  
Handsome Jack was hollow.  
Yet...here he was falling apart at the seams in Axton’s heavy arms, and all the commando could do was watch.  
“I’m so sorry Jack....it’s all my fault.” Axton breathed against Jack’s rushing pulse.  
If he had just been there for him.  
If he had just talked to him...  
If he had just tried harder.  
Maybe...just maybe Jack would not have fallen apart.  
But as hard as Axton tried to convince himself that all this was true...he knew it was not.  
He had tried.  
He had talked to him.  
He had been there for him.  
After Angel’s death...Axton had tried.  
Going against his better judgement and his own sanity he had thrown out all concerns for his own safety.  
He had gone to sanctuary.  
Fully knowing what may have become of him, he went anyway.  
He stood there at the big gates, turret’s sites all aimed at him. Little red dots decorating him like a tree in december.  
The wind had whipped around his form, blowing an icy chill through his hair. He went unarmed.  
Not a blade on him to so much as save his soul if things turned for the worst.  
It was the stupidest decision he had ever made, and yet he had to.  
He had to do this.  
The Hyperion workers had come, they slammed him to the ground and Axton had tasted the sharp, metallic hint of blood as he bit his cheek on impact.  
The ground was cold as they forced his face into the dirt, and the metal handcuffs snapped around his wrists proved even colder.  
He had gone without a fight.  
Oh what had become of him?  
A Vault Hunter, reduced to this by such a stupid thing...as love.  
They’d taken him away, hauling him, pushing him, shoving him like an animal being taken to slaughter. He had followed, willingly to the butchers door. Ready to die. Ready to sacrifice his meat.  
Ready to give it all.  
Bleed out in the shining tile floor to please his purpose.  
They’d chained him to the floor, forcing him to kneel. Such a lowly pose, sitting there bowing to an empty room.  
They’d stripped him naked.  
They’d beat him.  
He took the punches to the face, the beatings of heavy sticks across his back, the slap of a flogger to his rear.  
He’d taken the bruises, the cuts, the broken ribs.  
He’d taken it all.  
He wasn’t sure if he would live through it. He’d gone into it knowing that.  
But love made people stupid with determination.  
He just needed to see him.  
Just once.  
Then maybe...maybe he could convince him to stop all this.  
All this madness.  
Day’s had passed, and he remained chained to the floor, lying in a puddle of his own blood and shame.  
On the third day, a presence had filled the doorway.  
A presence that Axton would know anywhere, and yet at the same time he did not recognize it.  
This time...he was different. The man standing in the doorframe. He was different in this breath. In this moment.  
“Jack”  
Axton had rasped out the name as if he were begging for his life.  
He stared up at the taller man through his one good eye. The other was swelled shut, the socket clearly fractured, blood pooling around the injured eye.  
Jack had just looked down upon the broken man, his cold gaze sweeping over the scene before his feet.  
“Jack please”  
Axton had begged, his pride diminishing and his emotion taking over.  
Jack just stood there, accessing what was once, his lover.  
Or still was.  
It was hard to tell.  
Jack wasn’t sure.  
He was unsure of everything now.  
He hated everything.  
Nothing made sense.  
He had nothing to live for.  
Why would the stupid man come back to him now.  
After everything he had done?  
He’d betrayed him.  
He was supposed to love him.  
How could he kill his only daughter and then come back.  
The toe of Jack’s shoe had collided with Axton’s gut hard, digging into the soft, injured flesh.  
Axton had cried out pitifully, his voice echoing through the room.  
“No, Jack, Jack please...” Axton had whispered, tears clinging to the corners of his eyes.  
Jack still said nothing.  
Thin lips of the mask a hard line across his sharp features.  
“You killed her.” He whispered finally.  
Axton shook his head frantically, looking up to Jack for some sort of mercy.  
“Jack no, I know you meant well...but Angel...Angel had to die...” Axton pleaded.  
“DON”T SAY HER NAME!!!! DON’T YOU SAY HER NAME!!!! MY BABY’S NAME DOESN’T DESERVE TO BE ON YOU FILTHY TONGUE!!!” Jack had yelled.  
He was on Axton before he’d even finished his last sentence.  
His fingers wrapped around Axton’s throat, clenching down like vices.  
His eyes were wild as he looked down at the struggling man.  
They seemed to glow like wicked orbs set in his skull. Shimmering with hate, with confusion, with sadness.  
He was falling apart, and all Axton could do was watch. See the man that Jack had become.  
Feel him as he squeezed the very life from Axton’s lungs.  
Jack could feel Axton’s rising pulse beneath his thumbs, crushing them against the commando’s windpipe.  
He was clenching too hard.  
Too rough.  
Too violently.  
Too long.  
But he didn’t care.  
He needed this.  
He needed to pay.  
Pay for what he had done to his little girl.  
He’d trusted the Vault Hunter.  
He’d loved him...  
How could he betray him so?  
How could he do such a thing?  
Take away a fathers baby?  
Take her away as if she meant nothing.  
She was Jack’s baby.  
His baby girl.  
Now she was gone.  
Gone forever.  
Gone.  
Axton’s face was turning blue with lack of oxygen, Jack’s cruel, big, hands unforgiving in their purpose.  
He was gasping for the air that did not exist.  
Struggling against Jack’s stronger form as the CEO pinned him to the floor.  
They had been in this position many times before. Taken in the throws of lust and love and need for each other. But now, now here they were as Axton possibly took his last, labored breaths.  
“Jack....no matter what....I still love you....I always will...” Axton had rasped through short, strangled breaths.  
Jack’s eyes had widened, eyebrows drawing up slowly.  
He no longer looked like the deranged psychopath that he was....  
In that moment he just looked...lost.  
A man that had lost it all.  
His daughter, his planet, his sanity.  
He had nothing left.  
Yet...he did.  
He had Axton if he was willing to accept him.  
Axton was willing to be there.  
Jack’s grip had loosened just as the edges of Axton’s vision had began to get fuzzy and blurred.  
Axton could feel the blood rushing in his ears, and he took a heavy breath.  
Drawing it in desperately.  
Jack had sat there for a moment, confusion and pain settling over his face.  
“No.” Jack had whispered.  
He’d gotten up suddenly, crossing the room at a hurried pace, only to pause at the door.  
“I never loved you.” Jack had hissed over his shoulder.  
Then he was gone.  
Leaving Axton there, lying on the floor, hurt and bleeding.  
Through all the beatings, and all the pain, and the strangling....those words had hurt the most.  
Hurt more than any gunshot wound. More than any wound from any creature lurking the Pandoran surface. More than all the poison the world could offer.  
That hurt the most.  
Jack had let Axton go.  
Thrown him away like you would spoiled garbage.  
He no longer wanted the lingering memories of what had once been between the two men.  
That was how it had to be.

Axton clutched Jack’s shivering body closer.  
“Jack, Jack why are you crying?” Axton whispered softly running his hands through Jack’s tangled morning hair.  
Jack drew in a sharp, shaking breath.  
“I-I want this one to be real...but I know it’s not. I know I only have a little while..and then...then you’ll be gone....I’m sorry!!! I’m so sorry! I never meant to hurt you I shouldn’t have done what I did! I’m just human I made so many mistakes I’m sorry! I loved you so much and I should have listened to you and I didn’t!!! It’s always like this!!! Always the same!! Over and over and over again!!! I can’t take it anymore!! I just want you back I just want everything back!!!” Jack yelled his pupil blown and full of terror, his nails digging into Axton too hard.  
Axton pressed Jack to him tighter, fighting against the struggling man who was spiraling into a full on panic attack.  
“Jack I’m not going anywhere!! I don’t know what your talking about! This isn’t a dream it’s real! Look at me!” Axton said sternly.  
He forced Jack to look into his eyes harshly.  
“No-No! You’ll be gone!!! Just like always!!!” Jack cried woefully.  
Axton pressed his forehead against Jack’s and rocked him softly.  
“I’m not going anywhere. I’m right here.” Axton whispered as he kissed Jack’s hair.  
The minutes passed by and Jack seemed to relax in Axton’s arms.  
“See. I’m still here.” Axton said gently.  
Jack wiped his eye with back of his slender hand.  
“I-it-it’s real this time?” Jack stuttered pitifully.  
Axton nodded and kissed along Jack’s tear stained, scar ridden face.  
“C-Can you help me walk to the bathroom...I don’t know if I can stand...” Jack whispered ashamed.  
Axton smiled into Jack’s scalp.  
“Of course sweetie.” Axton said getting up and helping Jack to stand.  
Jack wobbled and teetered his legs weak and unsteady as he leaned hard against Axton’s outstretched arms.  
“I’m sorry...” Jack whispered looking at Axton his face pale and his eyes puffy.  
Axton shook his head.  
“No need to be sorry.” Axton said offering Jack a gentle, understanding smile.  
Jack took a few steps, Axton guiding him and offering his strength as a crutch for the weakened man.  
Axton’s sweatpants drooped a little and threatened to fall off Jack’s hip.  
Axton tenderly reached down and hefted them up.  
Jack looked down at his clothing and grimaced.  
The sweatpants were brown, with a Jackobs logo sprawled down the left leg.  
“Really? You dressed me in Jackobs sweatpants?” Jack snarled giving Axton an appalled look.  
Axton laughed heartily and shook his head.  
“Sorry I didn’t have them in Hyperion yellow.” He chuckled smiling widely.  
There he was.  
A small sliver of the Jack that Axton knew all too well.  
No matter how weak, and broken, he was still in there...somewhere.


	5. Bring Me Your Love Monster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! This chapter kinda took me a while to finish writing. It kinda put this story on the back burner a little bit since I have been focusing more on the other two stories I have going that are more developed. But that gave me a lot of time to really think about where this story is going. This one is kinda my experimental baby. I've never written a really "weak" Jack and this story was meant to try that out. In all honesty I'm fucking loving it!! I mean he won't be weak in this story forever, trust me. But for now I'm really enjoying it. This story was also formed to meet my love for a more mushy romantic story between Jack and Axton. My other story is more pet and master. This one is more actual lovers. But with monsters and creatures and bringing back the dead and stuff lol. Because I love that shit. Hope ya'll enjoy the next chapter!!!

Bring Me Your Love Monster

Axton settled Jack on the plush couch across from the bed, bringing him blankets and a bedside table to set food and water on.  
Axton turned on the little radio in the windowsill and Jack seemed to sigh out at the sound.  
He sunk into the couch, tangling the heavy quilts around him, only his face visible in the bundle of blankets.  
Axton smiled down at him fondly and kissed his hair.  
“Comfortable?” Axton asked rubbing his shoulder softly.  
Jack nodded.  
He looked out the window, watching the slow drizzle of rain. Today was not as stormy as the days previous, but it was still proving dreary all the same.  
Pandoran weather was finicky like that.  
It wouldn’t rain for months, and then when it did it lasted for days, even weeks sometimes.  
Axton crossed his arms and shook his head at the rain.  
“Nasty weather. Been like this for days.” Axton grumbled.  
Jack continued to stare, his lone blue eye soaking it in with wonder.  
“I don’t mind it.” Jack whispered lowly.  
Axton looked to him with soft, sore, eyes.  
The tone in Jack’s voice was concerning.  
He sounded...lost.  
He sounded drained.  
Like the very will had been sucked out of him and he was finding it hard to regain.  
“There isn’t weather...in the after. You know...” Jack whispered.  
Axton frowned deeply at the man wrapped in blankets.  
Axton crossed the room, his bare feet padding the floor softly as he did so.  
He eased down next to Jack and allowed the broken man to rest his head on his thick shoulder.  
“There isn’t sun. Or rain. Or snow. It’s never hot. It’s always just dark. Dark and cold, and thats it. Nothing else.” Jack whispered, his throat tightening at the thought.  
Axton ran his fingers through Jack’s hair, lulling away the bad memories, trying to soften them as the accounts slipped through the other man’s lips.  
“You see weather. Sometimes. In the memories they give you, but you never feel it, because it’s never real.” Jack continued darkly.  
Axton’s frown deepened, his fingers pausing in Jack’s locks.  
“What do you mean...by memories? Who...are you talking about Jack?” Axton whispered.  
Jack seemed to shake at the very thought of explaining.  
His lone, blue eye wavered in his socket as he looked at Axton.  
“The keepers. They rule...in the after. The after is not heaven...and it’s not hell. The after is the in-between, where confused souls go....that’s....that’s where I ended up...my soul was too torn in different directions for passage into one of the other...so they took me. They are....are...monsters....” Jack’s voice quivered as breathed their names.  
He gritted his teeth together hard.  
Axton hugged him tight, as if ensuring it was ok to go on.  
“They aren’t human. Their....gods...I guess. They don’t look like any one thing, they are...everything all in one. I-I don’t know how to explain them really....they just...are. They just exist, and they control everything there. They give you memories, in the after. Except the memories feel real. Like dreams....in a sense. They force you to think about all the right you’ve done, and all the wrong. Every decision you’ve ever made. Every conversation you’ve ever had. They make you relive it. Deciding if your soul is fit for one or the other....heaven or hell.” Jack whispered his eyes welling up with moisture.  
“I relived the day I told you I didn’t ever love you over and over again. They seemed to want to make sure it haunted me. Make sure I knew how wrong I was. I’m so sorry Axton....I’m so sorry....I always loved you...I’m so sorry.” Jack pleaded as the tears fell heavier.  
Axton shook his head.  
“I know you didn’t mean it. You’re ok now. You’re safe.” Axton whispered.  
Jack looked at him through teary eyes.  
“Why did you bring me back?” Jack whispered shame filling his voice, overflowing down his form.  
The words struck Axton like a fresh round of bullets.  
He paused for a moment, fingers parting through Jack’s grey streak.  
“Because...because it wasn’t your time. You had more to prove. I felt...you needed a second chance....and I...I couldn’t be without you.” Axton whispered softly.  
“But you...the vault hunters....were right...to kill me...I don’t even know who I was...or what I was thinking....I’m so sorry.” Jack sobbed pitifully.  
Axton felt a lump form in his throat.  
To see Jack like this, it was painful.  
It caused Axton’s heart to ache with piercing sorrow.  
“All of that, doesn’t matter. What matters now is what you do with this chance, this time around.” Axton whispered to him, hushing his partner softly.  
Axton kissed Jack’s forehead and Jack curled into him closer.  
“I love you.” Jack whispered against Axton’s skin.  
Axton smiled smally.  
“I love you too.” Axton returned the words softly.  
The soft comments hung their in the air, lingering and settling over the two men like drapes.  
Suddenly there was a soft knock on the door.  
Axton jumped up at the sound in a panic.  
“Who is it?” He barked running to the door.  
“It’s Maya...can I come in?” Maya whispered through the heavy oaken door.  
Axton seemed to relax at the sound of her voice.  
“Are you alone?” Axton asked.  
“Of course.” She answered.  
Axton sighed out and unlocked the door, slowly pulling it back, to allow Maya entrance.  
Maya stood at the door, a plate in her hands.  
The enticing aroma of freshly baked cookies instantly filled Axton’s nose.  
Maya shrugged and held the plate up.  
“Thought you might like some.” She said smiling.  
“Oh hell yeah, nobody in the right mind can pass up your chocolate chip cookies!” Axton chuckled stepping aside and letting Maya enter.  
Axton plucked a baked treat from the plate as she passed and stuffed in his mouth, making a little pleased sound as he chewed.  
Axton closed the door behind her and locked it again.  
Maya paused for a moment, eyes colliding with a very nervous looking Jack curled in blankets on the couch.  
Maya offered him a warm smile and crossed the room with the plate. She sat down next to Jack and offered the plate to him.  
“Want one? I promise they’re good.” She said smiling.  
Jack looked at her confusion and concern spreading across his scarred face.  
She paid no mind to the deep, ragged, scar covering most his features.  
The unmasked version of himself.  
To her...she liked him better without the it.  
He seemed so much more human like this.  
She’d spent months hating a crazed man in a mask, but here, on the couch before her was a man and nothing more. A scarred man. A tired man. A frightened man.  
Jack cautiously took a cookie from the plate and bit into it timidly.  
She was right, they were good.  
Really good.  
Maya smiled as the man’s eyes softened with every bite he chewed.  
He seemed to relax some, even in her presence.  
“I know we’ve never met, but I feel like I already know you.” Maya said softly.  
Jack frowned deeply.  
“I know. You know me as a maniac. A crazed dictator...yeah I know. You and all the rest of Pandora know me...” Jack whispered grimacing sorrowfully.  
Maya shook her head frowning.  
“No. I know you, from what Axton’s told me. All the good things about you, and I’d like to get to know you for myself.” Maya said smiling at the former Hyperion CEO.  
“I’m Maya, nice to meet you.” Maya said warmly.  
Jack just stared at her, a little taken a back, a little intimidated.  
“Jack...nice to meet you too...” Jack said unsurely.  
Maya set the plate of cookies down on the table and headed back across the room.  
“The other’s and I are headed down to headquarters, Lilith’s got some business she wants us to go on. We’ll be gone for a few days, I told the others you still weren’t feeling up to that much activity. You two keep the house safe ok?” Maya said looking at Axton and then to Jack.  
Axton smiled at her.  
“We’ll keep it under control. Ya’ll be safe out there.” Axton said watching her as she disappeared down the steps.  
He shut the door with a small click.  
“Looks like we have the house to ourselves for a few days.” Axton said smiling and returning to his seat on the couch.  
“You live with all the other vault hunters?” Jack asked looking to the now closed door and back to Axton.  
“...and you told them...?? About us?” Jack questioned confusion set across his brow.  
Axton drew in a deep breath.  
“Well yes, we all live together, and er...well...not exactly. I told Maya...or well more like she figured it out. But the others...I sorta kept them in the dark about it, didn’t think they’d take it too well...” Axton sighed.  
He felt bad having to say it out loud, but Jack knew he had been a secret. Vault Hunters didn’t fall for their greatest enemy.  
Jack nodded.  
“Maya’s different though. She’s been here for me throughout well...everything. You can trust her...after all she did help bring you back.” Axton said shrugging.  
“She seems nice....a siren right?” Jack questioned.  
Axton nodded.  
“Took Siren magic to charge the machine. She really stuck her neck out for me...and you.” Axton said leaning against Jack tenderly.  
Jack smiled weakly at the commando.  
After what seemed like an eternity, the house fell silent.  
Axton cracked his door open cautiously.  
Nothing but the sounds of the house settling greeted his ears.  
He looked over his shoulder at the couch. Jack had been napping for the past hour, his head rested on one of the plush pillows Axton had offered him.  
Axton sighed.  
His stomach suddenly gave a loud, pained, grumble. Axton reached down to cover his moaning belly.  
It was well into the evening, and high time for supper.  
Axton gently shook Jack awake, his blue and white eyes cracking open tiredly as he rolled over to look up at the commando.  
“Hey, I’m gunna make some dinner, wanna come down and get a little tour of the house? You need to get up and move around a little.” Axton said cheerily.  
Jack yawned weakly and forced himself into the sitting position.  
With a little help from the commando, Jack was on his feet and shuffling across the room.  
It was easier this time around.  
His legs felt stronger, muscles swelling with life.  
The stairs proved a little challenging, but the commando’s steady arms were there to guide him.  
Once at the bottom Jack looked around, soaking in the massive stone walls, the looming iron chandeliers, the creepy lanterns illuminating the rooms.  
“Jeez kiddo could you have picked a creepier place to live?” Jack snarled grimacing.  
Axton chuckled and headed toward the kitchen, rattling around for pots and pans.  
“Oh c’mon it’s not that bad.” Axton mused setting a large pan on the massive stove with a heavy clank.  
“Sure, not that bad if you’re Dracula, or The Wolfman.” Jack grumbled shuffling over to the kitchen as quickly as his trembling limbs would allow.  
Jack hefted himself up onto one of the kitchen counters and let his legs dangle over the edge.  
“Fuck...how long is this whole feeling like I’m dead crap gunna last...” Jack groaned gruffly.  
“You were dead. The notebook said the after effects of the body being dormant could last a couple of days.” Axton said starting up the stove and throwing several chicken breasts into the pan.  
Jack groaned and tapped his fingers on the counter.  
His eyes scanned the massive room curiously.  
The smells of the cooking chicken invaded his every sense, only reminding him how fucking hungry he was. It was like he just couldn’t eat enough. Couldn’t make the hunger vanish.  
After what seemed like an eternity Axton served Jack a plate and made himself one.  
Axton leaned over the counter, not bothering to actually sit down to eat.  
Jack balanced his own plate in his lap as he popped a bite of chicken into his mouth.  
There was no sound between the two men other than that of pleased chewed and swallowing.  
The silence was...humbling.  
Axton couldn’t help but to welcome it. Even in silence just Jack’s presence was enough to comfort his aching heart and soul. It filled the void that had been opened in days earlier. It made him whole again.  
Axton swallowed down the last of his food and let the dished fall into the sink noisily.  
Jack set his own plate on the counter and sighed out, his stomach full and fat.  
He looked so vulnerable.  
His feet swaying over the counters edge, his sweatpants clinging to his hips loosely, the oversized shirt practically hanging off his lean form.  
Axton casually closed the gap between them, uttering no words, simply letting the action speak for itself.  
Axton slowly leaned forward, his arms coming forth to encircle Jack’s thin waist, his fingers interlocking at the small of the slighter man’s back.  
Jack sucked in a sharp breath at the gesture.  
The past few days had been all about recovery, and learning to go through the motions of life again. There hadn’t been time for much else.  
But now Jack sat stronger, still pathetic....but stronger, and Axton’s touch sparked that electricity that had not been felt in a very long time.  
Jack had, had many encounters with it in the after. Memories of those moments. Those moments of passion and of love. Those moments of lust and of bodies coming together in the heat of passion. Moments that reminded him what he’d had and what he had given up.  
But this time it was real. This time it was not just a memory forced upon him by The Keepers.  
Axton rested his chin in the crook of Jack’s neck and he felt Jack tense at the closeness of the commando. It was like fire had been set off between them. A spark of something that had been long missed.  
A spark that could have been felt through time and space alike.  
Axton’s blunt fingers played with the hem of Jack’s saggy sweatpants, toying with the soft, worn material thoughtfully.  
Axton tilted his head in and kissed the side of Jack’s neck ever so slowly.  
Jack drew in a gasp of a breath and he felt Axton smile against his skin.  
Jack was soft, and warm, just like Axton had recalled.  
Axton lifted the back of Jack’s shirt slightly and allowed his fingers to trace along Jack’s lower spine. Jack had always been so much thinner than Axton. Even more so now than the last time Axton’s fingers had touched Jack’s skin this way.  
Jack pushed into Axton’s grip and linked his arms around the commando’s broad shoulders.  
Axton’s fingers moved up Jack’s mid back, tracing circles, pushing the saggy t-shirt up, the material gathering at the tops of his wrists.  
Axton sucked Jack’s neck softly, lips moving to taste the flesh he knew so well.  
Jack felt a thick blush spread across his cheeks against his will.  
He bit his lip embarrassed that such a simple touch could rouse him so. But it had been so long. He had dreamt of it over and over again. Wanting it so badly. That sane part of him had missed this so much. Even in his state of madness he had still dreamt of Axton. Still dreamt of them.  
Still dreamt of this.  
Axton drew back slowly, eyelids falling heavy over his narrowed eyes, a wry little grin clinging to his lips.  
He freed one hand and brought it to Jack’s cheek, sliding the pad of his thumb over the flushed skin.  
“All this time and I can still make you blush like a school girl.” Axton hissed through a wicked, toothy, grin.  
Jack scoffed and shot Axton a dark scowl.  
“Oh shut the fuck up.” Jack snarled.  
Axton chuckled heartily, his lips mere centimeters from Jack’s.  
Jack leaned forward and crushed his lips against Axton’s.  
Axton cradled the back of Jack’s head, running his fingertips through Jack’s soft locks.  
Jack kissed the commando hungrily, his lips sliding, tongue moving, teeth gently biting.  
Axton groaned out as Jack captured his bottom lip between his perfect teeth.  
Axton broke the kiss with a labored gasp.  
He swept a lock of Jack’s hair from his face and looked over the older man’s expression. He looked winded and needing. His cheeks painted lewdly pink and his eyes falling into helpless slits.  
“You sure you’re feeling up to this?” Axton breathed against Jack’s lips.  
Jack nodded quickly.  
“Quit acting like you’re gunna break me kiddo.” Jack growled grabbing Axton’s shirt collar and pulling him roughly in for another kiss.  
Axton smiled against Jack’s lips.  
“There’s that Handsome Jack I know.” Axton hissed.  
“Damn right kiddo.” Jack snapped, his fingers still entwined in Axton’s shirt.  
Axton’s hand snaked down Jack’s heaving front, fingers coming to play at the ties of the sweatpants.  
Axton palmed Jack’s crotch, feeling the apparent hardness pressing against the soft material.  
Axton smirked peevishly and nipped at Jack’s chin teasingly.  
“Hard already? My, My Jack that was quick...” Axton whispered in Jack’s ear hotly.  
Jack opened his mouth to snap at the other man but the comment died in his throat as Axton began kneading his erection through his sweatpants.  
Jack let loose a pitiful groan as he closed his eyes and bucked his hips up to meet Axton’s hand.  
Axton squeezed Jack’s bulge skillfully, his fingers working to press in just the right ways.  
Axton looked at Jack with pleased eyes.  
Jack was an utter mess, his hair out of place, his mouth agape slightly as his breaths came to him in raspy pants.  
Axton liked him when he looked like this. So frazzled and so needy. Such a man of power come down from his throne. He liked him looking like a mess.  
Nothing turned him on more than a disheveled, pitiful, Jack.  
Axton looped his thumbs underneath the elastic hem and let his thumbs play over the skin teasingly. Pausing there for more than the standard moment. Jack arched his back and whined impatiently at Axton’s stopped advances.  
Axton’s grin was catty and playful as he teased at the other male.  
It was just like him to take his sweet time.  
Finally Axton painfully slowly began to drag Jack’s hem downward. Axton’s thumbs played in the coarse little brown hairs trailing down his torso, down past where the sweatpants covered.  
With a small tug, Axton slid the baggy material down Jack’s knees, and Jack kicked them off into a little pile on the kitchen tile.  
Jack’s proud erection sprung free from the material, his head swollen, angry, red.  
Jack breathed out, the cold air nipping at his fat anatomy.  
Axton extended one finger and trailed it up Jack’s swollen underside.  
Jack hissed and clenched his pearly teeth together, biting back an obscene moan.  
Axton’s fingers traced over Jack’s slit, and the sensitive spot just underneath his head.  
Pressing, massaging, touching.  
Jack curled his fingers on the countertop, attempting desperately to keep the ridiculously loud moans that wanted to come forth swallowed down.  
Axton smiled deviously as his gruff palm came to wrap around Jack’s need. Jack let out a breathy gasp as Axton squeezed around him.  
Axton kissed down Jack’s chin, his lips pressing against the scars made by the hinges of his mask, over the slight stubble that was there, up his sharp cheek bone. There he let his kisses fawn over Jack’s deep, blue, vicious scar that branded across his face.  
Jack flinched instinctively, but Axton continued.  
“God you’re so fucking handsome.” Axton whispered tonguing the scar gently.  
Jack moaned out a little at the comment.  
Nothing got a rise out of Jack than telling him how handsome he was. Axton knew this all too well.  
“Say it again.” Jack moaned his hips coming up, wanting more from Axton’s hand.  
“You’re so...fucking...handsome.” Axton snarled snapping off every word delicately.  
Jack tilted his head back and let out a full on moan that would make a porn star blush.  
Jack’s head disappeared, then reappeared through the ring of Axton’s thick fingers over and over again.  
A tear of pre-cum leaked out onto Axton’s fist as he stroked Jack fluidly. Suddenly Axton left Jack’s flushed face, and began to descend downward.  
Axton kissed down Jack’s neck, his breath hot, his lips scalding Jack’s already heated flesh. Axton paused to suck Jack’s collarbone for a moment.  
He placed a trail of quick kisses down Jack’s peck and then ran his tongue down his heaving torso.  
Jack breathed out shakily, closing his eyes and putting weight on his elbows as he leaned on the countertop wontonly.  
The anticipation had him nearly writhing.  
God he just wanted Axton’s mouth on his swollen cock.  
Finally Axton made his way to Jack’s crotch, his big palms squeezing the former president's inner thighs before spreading them open.  
Jack’s erection throbbed as Axton nosed against it teasingly, allowing his hot breath to pour down the shaft.  
Axton extended his tongue and slowly ran it up Jack’s underside, pulling another breathy, helpless moan from Jack’s lungs.  
Jack’s fingers parted through Axton’s short cropped hair, gripping gently as Axton teased his cock meanly.  
He kissed his head gingerly, tongue coming to lightly trace along his slit.  
Jack cringed and threw his head back.  
Axton gently descended down and sucked Jack’s balls, making obscene wet noises as he did so.  
It was so good.  
Too good.  
Jack felt his face flush red as he looked upon the scene.  
Axton on his knees between his parted legs, treating him the way a servant would a ruler. Kissing, groveling, begging at his feet.  
The heat in Jack’s stomach was flaring out of control.  
His cock twitched impatiently, pleading for more than just the teasing attention Axton was giving it.  
“A-Axton...C’mon....” Jack begged weakly his breath heavy and ragged in the throws of arousal.  
Axton smiled against Jack’s fat cock, Jack’s head pressing lightly against his forehead.  
“Didn’t say the magic word baby.” Axton whispered slowly licking Jack’s head.  
Jack jerked forward and gritted his teeth together harshly.  
“FUCK! Axton PLEASE!” Jack bellowed dryly humping the air.  
Axton snickered coyly.  
“Now that’s a good boy, using your manners.” Axton whispered slyly.  
With a sudden, quick motion Axton slid Jack’s length into his mouth, sucking his wet lips around his girth tightly.  
Axton’s tongue played over the velvet flesh teasingly with every descent on Jack’s hardness.  
Jack was heavy on his tongue, filling his mouth to the fullest, stretching the corners of his mouth.  
He was so big.  
Size was something that Jack certainly was not lacking in.  
Axton’s fingers squeezed into Jack’s thighs as he sucked his cheeks in, dragging a breathy exasperated moan from Jack’s mouth.  
Axton’s saliva dripped down Jack’s shaft, pooling at his balls.  
The commando’s hand came up to wrap around Jack’s shaft once more, fluidly stroking him while his mouth did the rest of the work.  
Jack’s fingers curled in Axton’s hair as he looped his leg around Axton’s shoulder.  
“God damn kiddo...have I ever told you...you should live on your fucking knees?” Jack groaned lowly.  
Axton let Jack’s erection pop free and smiled up at the flustered man before him.  
“You’ve mentioned it before.” Axton whispered huskily.  
Axton placed a hot kiss to Jack’s tip deviously and lapped the weeping pre-cum delicately.  
Jack hissed and shuddered his body reacting involuntarily to the hot feeling of Axton’s tongue.  
Jack’s eyes snapped open and he groaned out low and breathily.  
“A-Axton...I’m gunna come!” Jack whimpered pitifully.  
With that Axton ceased all attention to Jack’s angry cock.  
“Not yet baby.” Axton hissed leaning over Jack deviously, trapping him to the countertop dangerously.  
Jack groaned out loudly.  
His cock twitched impatiently, the thick, swirling heat in his groin throbbing with the want of release.  
Axton pressed his lips against Jack’s roughly, kissing him urgently, hungrily, meanly.  
Axton’s arms slid around Jack’s lean form and he hefted him up off the counter in one swift, strong, motion.  
Jack wrapped his legs around Axton’s waist habitually and Axton kissed his sharp chin adoringly.  
Axton carried Jack into the massive living room and pressed him into one of the large antique couches with a groan of cushions and springs.  
Axton hovered over Jack, grinding his hips into the other man’s harshly.  
Jack could feel Axton’s apparent want pressing into his own through the commando’s own lazy day clothing.  
“You like that? Huh baby?” Axton whispered in Jack’s ear, his tongue sliding around the shell of the anatomy.  
Jack made a throaty, gruff groan and pulled at Axton’s shirt.  
His orgasm had ebbed, leaving him with a burning want that was only heavier than before.  
“Y-Yes!” Jack managed through labored breaths.  
Axton rutted against Jack meanly, driving his hardness into Jack’s groin.  
“You hang tight. Be right back.” Axton whispered nipping at Jack’s neck before leaving him lying panting on the couch, floundering like a fish out of water.  
Axton returned with a small bottle of what Jack could only assume was lube.  
The commando opened the iron fireplace door and fed the coals two new, fat logs.  
The flames licked at the new offering and grew in intensity.  
With that Axton was back on Jack like a predator to prey.  
Axton leaned over the slighter man and grabbed the end of his large shirt, tugging it up over Jack’s head, frazzling his hair even more.  
Axton skillfully stripped his own shirt up over his head revealing his unclothed body to Jack.  
No matter how many times he had seen it, it never failed to awe him.  
All of Axton’s rippling swells of muscle. His toned abdomen, the muscled “v” shape leading down into his pants, his swollen pecks.  
His chest was riddled with scars, missing flesh, and old burn marks.  
Jack leaned up slowly and kissed a particularly deep, old, scar scribed across Axton’s left peck.  
“What...what’s this one?” Jack asked in a sort of dazed tone.  
“Alpha skag got a hold of me.” Axton answered smiling down at Jack.  
Jack moved to a wicked looking burn mark across his side, touching it in wonder.  
“And this?” Jack questioned hotly.  
“Badass loader.” Axton breathed, indulging in the feeling of Jack’s tongue.  
Jack’s fingers drifted across a set of scars on Axton’s belly.  
Before Jack could ask, Axton was already answering.  
“Bullymong.” He whispered.  
Jack kissed a strange shaped scar on Axton’s shoulder.  
He knew what this one was.  
God he did.  
But he liked to hear Axton say it.  
Axton grinned wryly.  
“You.” He half moaned.  
In one of the very first times they’d come together in a fit of passion Axton had fucked Jack so hard, Jack had sunk his teeth into the commando like his life had depended on it. He’d drawn so much blood, and it had turned Axton on more than it should have.  
Jack chuckled against the scar.  
“That’s right commando.” Jack sneered breathily.  
Axton pushed Jack down into the couch cushions harshly.  
Kissing him feverishly, his fingers working through Jack’s hair, his body moving against him hot with want and need.  
Axton hooked his finger in his pants and yanked them down sloppily.  
His thick, fat erection bounced before him as he jimmied them all the way off and returned his attack on the other man.  
Axton was slightly bigger than Jack, his girth worthy of making men and women alike blush.  
His erection slid against Jack’s hotly, and Axton snaked his fingers around both their shafts, stroking them in unison.  
Jack arched his neck back and moaned out pitifully, his fingers clutching Axton’s shoulders roughly.  
Axton opened the lube and let it drizzle down his thick fingers.  
He prodded his pointer finger against Jack’s tight entrance, and pushed gently.  
His digit passed the ring of muscle and was encased in instant warmth.  
Jack hissed and moved against Axton’s proceedings, pressing down on the intrusion, wanting more, wanting deeper. Axton added another finger as he kissed Jack’s chin, and then lips, muffling a moan from the tattered man beneath him.  
“You want it?” Axton whispered pulling away from the kiss, a string of saliva connecting his lips and Jack’s.  
“Yes!!! For fuck’s sake you are such a tease!” Jack begged shamelessly as he bucked up, pushing his erection against Axton.  
Axton chuckled at Jack’s pitiful state, and proceeded to lube up his own swollen cock.  
He groaned as he spread the slick lube down his shaft, pumping himself wontonly.  
The wet, slopping sounds as he did so only made Jack more impatient. He wanted nothing more than that, thick, full feeling when Axton got a hold of him. After the first time, it had never been enough for Jack. He’d always wanted more, and more and more of it. Wanting to be fucked and wanting to shamelessly come all over himself. Only Axton could make him come like that. Come so hard he’d see stars. At first he’d tried to stop. Fucking the enemy was not exactly the thing to do if you were trying to run a fucking planet. But Axton was an addiction that Jack simply couldn’t shake loose. He’d gone through the feelings of disgust with himself, then shame, sometimes anger...but all those emotions were overtaken by one single word...want. So much want. Wanting and needing. Wanting and wanting more.  
Axton looked down at the disheveled man, a fierce grin spreading across his lips.  
He couldn’t have looked any more like the big bad wolf if he’d tried.  
All teeth and sexual tension.  
His toned muscles flexed as he grabbed Jack by the hips and hefted him closer with a quick jolt.  
“I’m gunna break you in half Jacky...” Axton snarled lowly.  
It was like all those instincts came crawling back from the very depths of him. The way they’d fucked times previous. The manner of the fucking. The hard fucking. The dirty fucking.  
Here they were again, and it was all they knew.  
How to fuck like animals.  
“I dare you.” Jack hissed through needy breaths.  
It was only appropriate for him to counter Axton’s comment with snark. That was the way it had always been.  
The way they’d come together in the front seats of vehicles, across Jack’s desk, wherever they could safely get their hands on one another.  
Axton chuckled hauntingly.  
He grabbed Jack’s legs and spread them apart obscenely, blush staining across Jack’s cheeks white hot and needy.  
Axton pressed his swollen head against Jack’s puckered back entrance.  
“I’ve missed this you feisty fuck.” Axton growled before rolling his hips forward and pushing into Jack.  
Jack threw his head back yelling out in pleasure and pain all wrapped into one pretty little package.  
Axton stretched him slowly, adding more of himself, inch by inch.  
The sight of Jack’s tight ring of muscle squeezing around Axton’s girth was enough to make Axton shudder with pleasure.  
Jack’s fingers scrambled over the couch cushions, gripping desperately to anything they could find.  
“F-Fuck!!” Jack moaned loudly his voice reverberating off the high ceilings.  
Axton’s grin widened at the echoing of Jack’s voice.  
He was always ungodly loud.  
That had always hindered their choices of secret meeting places for sex.  
More than once his ridiculously loud moaning had attracted the attention of unwanted guests.  
One happened to have been a very ornery badass skag. Nothing pissed Axton off like an interruption, and the stupid beast had learned that quite quickly.  
Jack had whined like a little bitch when Axton had come back to continue fucking him stupid and got Skag blood on the president’s new shirt.  
Axton groaned lowly as he began picking up the pace, Jack’s body adjusting to the large intrusion. He watched with heavy lidded eyes as his length slid in and out of Jack’s gorgeous body.  
He bit his bottom lip hard as he bucked his hips forward hard, jolting Jack backward into the couch’s arm rest.  
Jack moaned out louder, his fingers scraping over Axton’s forearms mercilessly.  
Axton leaned down, his arms coming to either side of Jack’s head, his tongue running up the former president’s flushed throat.  
“Louder baby.” Axton hissed kissing Jack’s collar bone and fucking him harder.  
As if on command Jack's voice rose to meet Axton's request, his back arching needfully.  
His hips snapped against Jack’s, loud and quick.  
Axton gritted his teeth.  
It was downright embarrassing how close he already was.  
It had been so fucking long.  
Way too fucking long.  
Axton moaned out gruffly his voice rough and shallow with the onset of pleasure.  
Jack wrapped his legs around the commando’s hips, vicing them together, wanting the closeness, the pressed space.  
Jack bucked against Axton, his swollen erection jabbing into Axton’s abdomen.  
Axton looked at Jack with wonton green eyes, his mouth slightly open and rasping for breath.  
“F-Fuck I-I’m not gunna last long...” Axton groaned his eyes fluttering closed as he dealt another merciless hump.  
Jack’s hands scraped down Axton’s shoulder blades.  
“I-I was already fucking there!! You’re the one that insisted on making me wait!” Jack complained, his voice half moans, half yells.  
Axton laughed against his neck, his big palm tracing down Jack’s heaving body, coming to wrap his gruff palm around Jack’s erection.  
Jack cried out weakly, thrusting into Axton’s fist.  
Axton began fluidly pumping the pitiful looking man. Jack was crying out moans that carried a breath of Axton’s name on it like a fucking prayer.  
When Jack was close he always moaned Axton’s name.  
When they’d first started this...thing....that was the only time Jack would ever say his real name.  
Other than that it was all, Vault Hunter, Kiddo, Commando, Fucking bandit...and insults.  
But that one split second, right before he came, as he lost his head and all his pride he’d moan Axton’s name like a damned whore.  
Axton had to admit the high he’d get off it.  
Knowing he could break the other man down enough to make him say his name.  
Jack’s nails were sharp as they dug into Axton’s shoulder blades. He threw his head back, his chocolate locks falling in a messy tangle, his mouth agape.  
“AXTON!!! FUCK AXTON!!!” Jack yelled tightening his legs around Axton.  
He was yelling, and then he was coming.  
Jack ejaculated shamelessly into the small space between them, coming in Axton’s clenched fist, slicking the commando and himself in his finish.  
His cock pulsated with every wave of release, his body shuddering weakly, his moans of Axton’s name loosing power as he came down off orgasm.  
It was the fucking hottest thing Axton had ever seen, when Jack came.  
Axton lived for it, needed it for his own orgasm most times. There was nothing like seeing such a man of power come undone at the seams. It was even better knowing he’d been undone by a bandit.  
That was all Axton needed.  
Suddenly he was filling Jack with all he had.  
Jack’s body pulsing around Axton’s fat cock.  
Axton moaned out weakly as he came, his balls pulled tight to his body, pumping Jack full.  
He clenched his teeth as he gave a few final, weak thrusts into Jack.  
He slumped over the slighter, heaving man weakly.  
He looked at Jack tiredly and offered him that heart melting crooked smile of his.  
“I forgot how fuckin’ loud you are.” Axton huffed kissing Jack’s cheek.  
Jack breathed out slowly, his arms looping limply around Axton’s neck.  
“Yeah, and I forgot how fucking rough you are. You fuck like a jackhammer.” Jack panted giving Axton a dark glance.  
Axton chuckled.  
“You complaining princess?” Axton whispered deviously.  
Jack cracked a small smile.  
“You’re an asshole, kiddo.” Jack replied tiredly.


	6. Monsters and Mutts

Monsters and Mutts

It was dark. So dark. Darker than the blackest of nights. A shade of ebony that wasn’t natural to the world. It was a sticky blackness. The kind that clung to your body and thickened around you.   
Jack’s eyes strained in the dark, struggling to pick up any sense of movement or form. But he was blind, standing there naked and confused.   
As helpless as the day he’d come into the world. The air is damp and cold causing all the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end.   
He wants to run. To spring into motion and flee.   
But he can’t.   
It’s like his feet are firmly buried in the soil beneath him, rendering him motionless. His limbs are useless too.   
He wants to reach up and wipe the gathering moisture from his brow, but his arms refuse to work. His whole body is lifeless. Standing there still and unmoving. Like he’s turned to stone.   
His eyes dart from one edge of the blackness to the other, but it’s all the same. It’s all just sticky, musty, blackness.   
He can taste the dark in his mouth. It’s heavy and foreign on his tongue. He feels like every time he breathes he is swallowing more down. Filling his gut with the blackness. It sticks to his ribs, clogs his organs, coats his stomach. His body feels sickly. He feels lost. So very lost.   
Suddenly....he feels he is not alone in the gathering blackness.   
There are footsteps. Slow and calculated. Each step contemplated before being made. Suddenly the darkness is birthing something.   
First a single, gnarled, clawed foot. Like a talon, all scaled and rough. The massive claws scrape the hard ground as it moves.  
The first foot is joined by a second.   
Then a leg, a knee. Two legs.   
One massive hulking arm, so large it almost drags the ground.   
It’s claws are curled backward all tucked close to it’s palm.   
Finally comes a long, serpentine neck, jutting forth from the dark. A pale white face connects to the end of it’s long neck, it’s flat and misshapen compared to the rest of it’s body.   
Many long curling horns, seeming to belong to all different animals jut from it’s forehead, down it’s neck and to it’s back.   
A Keeper.  
Lord of the after, a beast, a god, a creature.  
Jack can feel his heart racing in his chest, booming in his ears like a great drum.   
He wants to scream, to yell, to make any kind of noise but it’s as if the voice was sucked right out of him.   
The deformed mass of body parts comes closer, slinking slowly, it’s eyes coming open to look upon the tiny man before it.   
It’s eyes are black and hollow, no pupil or eyeball. Just socket filled with the same pitch blackness surrounding the two of them.  
It croons it’s neck out farther it’s almost human like face now mere inches from Jack’s own. His nostrils flare as he struggles to breath. Tears stream down his unblinking eyes as he feels it’s breath upon him.   
The creature tilted it’s head to the side painfully slowly, as if pondering the tears sliding down Jack’s cheeks.   
Slowly it opened it’s mouth, thin lips stretching apart and letting a long slithering tongue come loose from it.   
It’s tongue slid up the side of Jack’s cheek, tasting the salty tears there.   
It seemed to murmur some kind of understanding noise then slowly backed away from the shaking man.  
It sat back on its haunches gingerly, one of it’s massive clawed paws coming to Jack’s chin and tilting his head back ever so slightly.   
“Jack...my little worthless Jack...” It hissed clicking it’s tongue and shaking it’s head.  
Jack squeezed his eyes shut tight and clenched his teeth hard as the tears fell faster, the shakes of the sobs racking his slender body.   
“How dare you think you could get away from me? How dare you make me look so incapable and stupid? Worthless little Jack...how dare you?” The creature snarled slowly.   
Jack wanted to flinch away from the touch of it’s overgrown claws.   
There was dirt and dried blood caked beneath them and Jack could smell the overwhelming scent of death clinging to the monster’s hand.   
“I was not done with you yet...and somehow....you managed to escape me. It was your time. Yet...here we are. You’ve run away worthless little Jack...I do not take kindly to this abomination.” The beast whispered lowly.   
The monster slowly extended one single claw and slid it down Jack’s cheek, slicing the flesh open like butter.  
Jack screamed out, but no sound came forth from his open lips. He wanted to reach up and cover the wound, but his hands stayed cemented to his sides helplessly.   
The monster chuckled hollowly.   
“You little fucking mutt. Scum of the earth little dog...running away like the bad canine you are.” The beast laughed louder, it’s voice ringing in Jack’s tender ears.  
“It is out of my power to bring you back...yes. Out of my power you worthless little dog. So you are free to go....not by my choice of course. By the ancient rules...I can no longer touch you. But I will leave you with one final punishment as I am allowed to do so when such things happen as escape. In the circumstances of a soul getting loose from me, I am allowed to set upon them...one...single...curse.” The beast whispered.  
Jack could feel the blood trickling down his neck and collarbone. It was so red, and so deep. So wicked as it ran.  
“You may have escaped me. But not without a price little stray mutt....mutt...” The creature repeated the word slowly.   
Then booming, mean laughter bubbled up from it’s chest.   
“You have always been such a worthless little stray, ever since the day you came to my realm Jack. Your bark always so much worse than your bite. Let me fix that for you....let me make you the disgusting, worthless, dog you have always been.” The monster hissed.  
He held out his palm slowly as blackness swirled there in it’s hand. The darkness shaped and moved, contorting into something living...moving.   
Jack watched in horror.   
The darkness contorted into some sort of beast, standing on all fours but in a disgustingly human like way. Pointed ears adorned the top of it’s skull and a long muzzle jutted from it’s face, filled with fangs and slobber.   
The tiny thing growled and bit at the hand that held it.   
The big monster chuckled at the small creature it had created.  
“Now you will be a fucking mutt...inside and out.” The beast whispered before grabbing Jack by the throat and shoving the small creature made of blackness into his mouth.   
Jack swallowed instinctively, his mouth burning, his throat feeling scorched as the thing went down.   
He could feel it clawing and scratching his innards. His body felt white hot, burning inside like a great fire.   
Jack coughed and sputtered trying to choke the blackness back up. He gagged harshly, stomach turning.   
He mouthed the words “Why would you do this to me!? This is my second chance, I will be better this time...be something greater!” to the Keeper and it merely laughed.  
“Oh dear Jack...you will never be anything greater. You will always be a scummy little mutt. I will make sure of that. This is no second chance. Your mistake of an escape will be filled with nothing but horror and pain.” The thing answered throwing it’s head back in a fit of bone chilling laughter.   
“They will hunt you, and they will shun you. They will not accept you...and soon enough you will come back to me my little Jack. Soon enough.” It finished it’s hollow eyes empty and soulless as they looked upon Jack’s shivering form.   
Jack’s eyes suddenly shot open, screams filling his lungs, but this time sound came with them.  
He scrambled to his feet, but tumbled to the ground.   
He fell to the hard floor, on his hands and knees.  
He hunched over his stomach sick as ever, and before he could stop it he was vomiting onto the tile. His stomach clenched as he gagged and coughed up the remnants of his last meal.   
There was a the thud of feet hitting the ground behind him, and the frantic touch of hand’s on his back and shoulder.  
His head was spinning, vision blurred, so much so that he could not even make out the details of his surroundings.  
He could faintly hear a voice yelling at him, but it was so distant and weak.  
He coughed up a small dribble of stomach acid and spit onto the floor, tears clinging to the corners of his eyes.  
His body shuddered weakly as he crouched there like a dying animal.   
Slowly, everything seemed to come back into focus.  
The voice yelling at him became clearer and clearer.  
“Jack!! JACK!!! Are you alright!???” It yelled in his ear.  
Jack shuddered weakly.   
He knew that voice. He’d know it anywhere.  
Axton.  
Jack looked to his left and the blurry form kneeling there finally came back into clearer view.   
In the darkness he could barely make out the worried features of Axton’s face.  
Axton’s green eyes glinting in the weak firelight.   
His eyes darted from Axton’s face, to the room around him. He was back in the great living room, the fire in the fireplace still barely alive with small coals. The memories all came back to him slowly.  
The sex, the lying there by the fire talking, the redressing, the falling asleep on the grand couch beside Axton.   
Jack wiped his mouth with the back of his hand shamefully.   
“Jack are you ok?” Axton asked again the worry heavy in his voice.   
“Yeah I’m fine...” Jack whispered back his voice rough and strained.   
Jack sat back on his knees weakly, looking over himself ashamed. He’d vomited on the tile and some on his shirt.  
He cursed under his breath and shook his head.  
Axton rubbed his back slowly.   
All Axton could think about at the moment was the notebook....the vomiting subject...how they’d died after choking on their innards.  
He drew in a shaking, fearful breath.  
“I just had a fucking awful dream....it...turned my stomach.” Jack finished, saving the details.   
Axton didn’t need to know about his ridiculous nightmares.  
Axton sighed out and ran his hand through his hair.  
A bad nightmare, that was it.   
No coughing fit and vomiting organs.   
“Oh thank god.” Axton sighed out lowly.  
Jack shot him a disgusted look.  
Axton shook his head defensively.   
“No, no not thank god you had a nightmare...it’s just...in the notebook...some of Doctor Maine’s first trials had these awful vomiting fits and ended up dying...I was just worried...you know.” Axton breathed.   
Jack scoffed and shook his head.  
“No. I’m fine...just stupid fucking shit....” He growled.  
Jack rose to his knees shakily.   
“I gotta take a shower.” Jack snarled angrily.  
He was angry at his pathetic outburst, angry a stupid dream could have him falling apart at the seams all over again.  
Angry at his ridiculously helpless state.   
Axton looked up at him with concerned eyes.  
“You need help?” He questioned sympathetically.  
“No I’m fine. Is there a downstairs shower?” Jack snapped.  
Axton pointed to the first door in the hallway to the left.  
He knew that tone of voice. That tone Jack got when he just wanted to be left alone. Axton had learned it was always best to just leave him be, no matter how badly you wished to just be there for him.   
Jack slowly disappeared into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him.   
Axton sighed and rose slowly.   
Jack was an impossible thing.   
He wasn’t good at letting people comfort him that was for damned sure.  
That was just a sign that he was getting better, getting stronger, becoming that Jack Axton knew and loved.   
It was both relieving to see this, and troubling. Jack was hard to deal with. The past few days he hadn’t really been himself...that had just made things easy as far as caring for the bastard.   
Things would get a lot harder from here on out, Axton thought smiling and shaking his head.  
Jack was a stubborn fuck.  
Axton flicked on the kitchen lights and went about gathering towels to clean the mess in the living room.  
Meanwhile in the bathroom, Jack stripped his borrowed t-shirt up over his head irritably.   
He threw it on the floor as if it had done him nothing but wrong. He dropped his sweatpants and turned the shower knobs, bringing the running water to life.  
When it was warm he stepped in slowly, letting the stream engulf his aching body.   
His stomach was sore from heaving and his throat burned.   
His hands came to his neck gingerly surrounding the flesh there, the memory of the creature from his dream sliding down into his stomach came wandering back into his head.   
Jack shook his head wildly, trying to shake the memory away.  
The beast’s voice still hung in his head like an unwanted guest.  
Lurking there somewhere in his ears.   
“...let me make you the disgusting, worthless, dog you have always been.”   
The phrase swarmed through him like wasps, stinging at his skin, crawling through his being.   
Jack gritted his teeth and ran his nails down his arms, trying to scratch away an invisible itch.   
It was just a damned nightmare.  
That was it.  
So why did it have his skin crawling like so?  
He was being so weak, so ridiculous.   
But seeing that thing...again....just had him falling apart.   
It was so damned real...but it wasn’t. It was just a dream...right?  
Jack touched his cheek where the Keeper had split his skin.   
It was all in tact, no blood, no scar, nothing.   
Just a dream, he told himself again.  
Just a god damned dream.   
He needed to get a hold of himself.  
The creature wasn’t real, nor was it’s promise of one last punishment set upon him. It was all just a nightmare.   
Jack leaned hard on the wall and breathed out shakily.   
Those things couldn’t get him here, in this world.   
He was safe here, this was his second chance to be something better than a madman. This was his chance, he knew it....it had to be.  
Axton had brought him back to this world for a reason, and he would no waste this opportunity.   
Jack washed his body slowly, as if trying to wash away the haunting memories of the dream. He would not let them cling to him like mud, he had to wash them away.  
The memories, the after, the Keepers...he just had to wash them all away.   
He had to.  
For his own good.  
Jack finished his shower and rinsed his mouth out thoroughly with some borrowed mouthwash on the counter.   
He dried his hair and slung the fresh, fluffed towel around his waist.   
He cracked the door open slowly, stream billowing out around his bare feet wispily.   
His eyes peered into the great living room.   
Axton was sitting on the couch, having already cleaned the pathetic mess Jack had made.   
Jack drew in a deep breath.   
Axton was a kind hearted soul.  
He always had been.   
Rough around the edges, sure, but who wasn’t on this damned planet?  
He’d always been too good to Jack, even in the worst of times. Even when Jack screamed at him, beat him and tortured him...he never stopped loving him unconditionally.   
Even after all the wrong Jack had done, Axton had still risked everything to bring him back.   
He was genuine and strong. A crutch for Jack to lean on.   
Jack’s eyes met with Axton’s green orbs.   
They held each other’s gaze for just longer than the standard moment.   
Finally a small smile broke across Axton’s lips and he made a motion for Jack to join him on the couch.   
Jack slowly crossed the grand room and eased himself down on the couch, only to feel Axton’s arm come to encircle him protectively.   
Axton’s nose was pushed into the nape of Jack’s neck, feeling the wet hairs brush his chin.  
He kissed Jack there, soft and slow, hands working over the other man’s shoulders soothingly.   
Jack breathed out, his chest rising and falling with the heavy breath.   
“You ok?” Axton whispered into Jack’s hair.  
Jack nodded.   
Jack looked at the larger man beside him.   
“Do you believe dreams can actually mean something? Like...hinting at things to come...foreshadowing of the future?” Jack whispered looking out the large window at the night covered landscape beyond it.   
The rain had eased to a drizzle. Slow and steady, barely there and soft.   
Axton did not answer Jack’s question for a very long time.   
Silence weighed heavy over the two men.  
“I guess it just depends. Maybe sometimes they can, but sometimes they are just what they are...dreams. Only dreams.” Axton whispered kissing Jack’s neck again.  
Jack smelled fresh and sharp, the heavy scent of soap still clinging to his skin.   
“I don’t know if this one was just a dream...” Jack whispered hollowly.   
“It didn’t feel like...just a dream.” He finished.  
Axton squeezed Jack’s shoulder softly.  
“What kind of dream was it?” Axton questioned slowly.  
Jack chewed his lip for a moment, not looking at Axton...simply staring out into the night, eyes hollow and unmoving.  
“A Keeper...it came to me. It said I had embarrassed it by escaping it....it vowed to give me one last punishment...and that I would return to it soon.” Jack whispered his throat dry and his voice wavering.   
Axton shook his head slowly.   
“You aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. I promise.” Axton replied soothing his fingers through Jack’s freshly washed hair.  
“No matter what...I will protect you. No matter what.” He continued slowly.   
His words were soft but in the same breath...they were strong.   
Jack sighed out.  
“Ok” Jack whispered.  
The two men fell silent.   
The only sounds being offered to their ears were those of the drizzle outside, and the popping coals in the fireplace.   
There just seemed to be nothing to be said.   
Nothing more to talk about.  
So the silence was there to fill the heavy space between them.  
Jack rested his head on Axton’s shoulder.   
Axton...the protector of a mutt that did not deserve it.  
The owner of a stray that was broken and beaten.  
When he was starving, he had fed him.  
When he was weak, he had carried him.  
When he was frightened, he had chased the monsters from his head.  
When he was dying, he had revived him.


	7. Masks and Monsters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Axton has a thing for masks ;) need I say more? <3

Masks and Monsters

Jack’s eyes flickered open slowly. Just barely enough to let the new light in. He squinted against the brightness and groaned lowly rolling over on the surface he’d apparently fallen asleep on.  
He blinked, once, twice, three times.  
His surroundings had not changed, he was still in the living room, sprawled across the couch shamelessly naked.  
He grimaced and ran his hand through his hair.  
He didn’t even remember falling asleep in the first place.  
Suddenly the overwhelmingly delectable scent of fresh coffee hit his nose.  
He lifted up on his elbows slowly, peering over the couches back and into the kitchen.  
He pushed himself into a sitting position and found his footing tiredly.  
He stood with ease this time around.  
His muscles felt strong, his body felt healthy. He felt...whole again. The looming sense of an overworked body was no longer lingering there. He just felt...human again.  
Strong and ready, breath coming easy, movement coming even easier.  
He rounded the couch and was met by that playful gaze he knew all to well.  
Axton stood in the kitchen, a wry grin spread across his face as he looked over the freshly awoken former president.  
Jack grabbed a kitchen stool and yanked it outward grumpily before plopping down in it.  
Axton continued to look at him with that stupid grin spread across his face.  
Jack shot him an irritated look.  
“What?” Jack barked.  
Axton snorted chuckling loudly.  
“Nuthin princess. You’re just distracting as hell naked, that’s all. Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed.” Axton said laughing heartily.  
Jack just growled in response.  
Axton set a mug of coffee down in front of his less than pleasant companion. Jack glared at Axton, then down at the mug.  
He brought the warm beverage to his lips daintily and took a long drink.  
Black, just the way he liked it.  
None of that sweet shit to dress it up.  
Just straight, bitter, dark roast.  
After countless mornings waking up with Jack, Axton knew just exactly how to make his coffee. He did so gladly, seeing as it made the other male seemingly less grouchy.  
Jack sighed out slowly at the taste.  
It was hot on his tongue and pleasingly warm going down his throat.  
Axton leaned over the counter, his own mug in hand.  
His coffee looked like faded chocolate in color, filled with creamer and sugar and god knows what else.  
Jack grimaced at the other man’s coffee.  
“I see you are still ruining perfectly good coffee.” Jack snarled taking another drink of his own.  
Axton chuckled and shook his head.  
“I see you still have the attitude of a crocodile with a toothache in the morning.” Axton teased slyly his eyes narrowed as he looked upon the older male.  
Jack rolled his eyes and scoffed, leaning back on the stool slowly.  
Axton watched with interest as Jack set his coffee down and stretched upward lithely.  
He groaned lowly as he did so, all his abdominal muscles shifting and stretching with the rest of him.  
“So when does the rest of your little freak show clan get back?” Jack asked cracking his neck loudly.  
Axton took a long drink of his coffee.  
“Tomorrow...which reminds me...we gotta figure out...how to well...you know...explain all this to them..” Axton sighed.  
Jack cocked a thin eyebrow at the commando.  
He folded his arms across his chest.  
“Oh what you think simply announcing to them that Handsome Jack has returned from the grave isn’t a good idea?” Jack grunted sarcastically.  
Axton shot him an unamused look.  
“Oh I am sure that would just go over lovely.” Axton said gruffly.  
“Unless you want a buzz-axe to the face, we best come up with a different plan.” He continued.  
Jack chuckled lowly.  
“Shit, you could always just bring me back again right kiddo?” Jack joked cracking a wicked half smile.  
Axton shook his head and drained the rest of his coffee.  
“Sure would be nice if I could just explain to them I’m not the man I was...” Jack whispered rubbing his chin.  
Axton looked at him, a small frown set across his lips.  
“They aren’t so easily convinced...” Axton sighed.  
Jack looked up at him with sorrowful eyes.  
“You convinced the siren...” Jack whispered.  
Axton leaned against the kitchen counter and breathed out loudly.  
“Yeah...but she’s different. The rest of them...their stubborn sons of bitches...they don’t forgive or forget.” Axton sighed.  
Jack shrugged.  
“Maybe I should just put a mask on like that weirdo assassin that runs with ya’ll. Hell I can’t even tell if that guy is human, so it seems to do the job.” Jack grumbled irritably.  
Axton looked at Jack with large inquisitive eyes that seemed to widen with an idea as Jack muttered the sentence.  
“Actually....that...isn’t a half bad idea...” Axton mused rubbing his chin.  
Jack shot him a confused look.  
“I was being fucking sarcastic.” Jack growled.  
Axton waved a hand at him before jogging off down the hallway.  
“Like I was KIDDING!! Where are you going??” Jack yelled after him irritably.  
Axton disappeared for several moments, and when he returned he was gently overturning something in his hands.  
The object seemed to be made of worn leather in places and hard plastic materiel in others.  
Jack would know that sort of mask anywhere.  
It was a psycho mask.  
Jack looked at Axton then down at the mask.  
He made a disgusted face and glared at Axton.  
“Well I mean what if we just...hid your identity? Zero does it...why can’t you?” Axton said holding up the mask, pleased with his ‘brilliant’ idea.  
Jack made a distasteful face.  
“Fuck. No.” Jack snarled.  
Axton rolled his eyes and took a step toward Jack.  
“Oh c’mon, this is the only one I’ve got that’s enclosed in the back as well as the front. Nobody would be able to even tell it was you. Just try it on. For me?” Axton pleaded.  
Dealing with Jack was like dealing with a five year old that only knew the word ‘no’.  
Jack huffed out stubbornly.  
“No! Where did you even get that thing?? Off a dead bandit?? Who knows where that nasty piece of trash has been.” Jack snapped folding his arms.  
Axton groaned out at his stubborn partner.  
“Ok yes, I got it off a dead bandit. But I washed it I promise, It’s sorta a little hobby of mine to collect bandit masks and helmets and such.” Axton explained trying to get close enough to force the mask onto Jack.  
Jack scooted back in his stool, a dark scowl set across his brow.  
“That’s disgusting kiddo...and fucking weird. I’m still not putting that thing on.” Jack snarled.  
Axton looked at him sternly.  
“Look it’s either this mask, or get strung up by the other Vault Hunters. Your choice Jacky.” Axton growled.  
Jack gave him an unsure look.  
“B-But....it isn’t my color.” Jack whined.  
Axton groaned out at the stubborn other male.  
“Don’t give me that. Just put it on would you??” Axton snapped outstretching his hand, offering the mask to Jack.  
Jack looked at the small offering as if it might just jump up and bite him.  
He reluctantly took the mask and sighed in deep.  
He pulled the mask down over his face and adjusted it irritably.  
He hated to admit it...but it wasn’t all that uncomfortable.  
Nothing like his usual mask he wore....but not half bad.  
The mask was painted in quite the opposite of the normal bone white psycho masks adorned by the local bandits or Pandora. It was sleek black with blue highlights around the stitching. It had multiple straps and buckles wrapping around to the back.  
Jack shifted a little and looked at Axton through the transparent eye holes.  
From the outside they glowed a shimmering turquoise blue, and Jack found the visibility from the mask wasn’t bad at all.  
He sighed and shrugged his shoulders in a defeated kind of way.  
“I guess it isn’t that bad.” Jack admitted finally.  
Axton grinned at his counterpart wryly.  
“Told you so.” Axton sang annoyingly.  
Jack just grunted in response.  
Axton closed the gap between the two of them and gently reached out to run his thumb over the mouthpiece of the mask.  
He made a low pleased sound as his fingers came in contact with the combination of smooth hard material and soft leather. It was a glorious combination.  
Axton had been through hell to get this mask in particular. He’d had to take on a badass psycho to get a hold of the thing and had taken a nasty blow from a buzz-axe to the back.  
But now as he looked fondly over his mask wearing companion it was all worth it.  
Jack was quite pretty adorned in the getup of the very things he hated most...bandits.  
It was sickly fitting in a way, and hilariously ironic.  
“You look good.” Axton almost moaned as he gently fondled one of the leather straps between his thumb and forefinger.  
Jack scoffed loudly.  
“Oh don’t give me that kiddo.” Jack snarled.  
Axton just chuckled as one of his hands came to slide down Jack’s bare side, squeezing just a little harder at his hip.  
Axton made a low noise in his throat, his fingers drawing small circles over Jack’s bare flesh. His index finger ran over Jack’s abdomen, touching the coarse hairs there gently. The touches were so slight, his fingers ghosting over Jack’s skin. It caused the hairs on the nape of Jack’s neck to stand on end as Axton’s palm slid down the outside of his thigh. Axton applied a little bit of pressure, squeezing the muscle there, a louder, more detectable groan rumbling up from his chest.  
Jack felt himself freeze at the other male’s unexpected advances.  
Axton leaned in, gently prodding Jack’s knees apart on the stool, allowing him access.  
He settled himself between Jack’s open legs, coming closer to Jack intimidatingly.  
His lips were mere centimeters from the mouthpiece of the mask.  
Jack could feel Axton’s breath as he let loose of it.  
He could see the commando’s mannerisms morphing, an expression of utter enthrallment now dripping over his face.  
Axton’s hand came to the mask again, touching, grasping, pressing.  
Like his fingers were hungry for the material beneath them, wanting more, and more.  
“Fuck...you look...so good.” Axton breathed his voice husky and thick.  
Jack cocked an eyebrow at the commando’s tone of voice.  
What the fuck had gotten into him?  
“What the hell is your deal?” Jack snarled from behind the mask.  
Jack watched as Axton just grinned in response, his lips pulling back over his teeth deviously.  
He slowly extended his tongue and dragged it up the side of the mask, both his hands coming to cup Jack’s chin.  
Jack couldn’t “feel” the touch, but something about it sent his cheeks to flushing bright crimson.  
Jack let go of a shaky sigh and seemed to melt into Axton just a tad.  
Axton caught one of the straps between his teeth and pulled slightly, just enough to let Jack know he was there.  
Finally Axton pressed his nose into the crook of the other male’s neck and answered Jack’s looming question.  
“What? I’ve got a thing...for masks....you should know that by now.” Axton groaned throatily.  
Jack rolled his eyes.  
“Well yeah...I always knew you had a thing for MY mask...but this scummy bandit mask?? Seriously...” Jack snarled.  
Jack’s snappy response only drove Axton madder with want.  
Jack was fucking delectable when he was snarky.  
“I dunno Jacky...I think a bandit mask suits you well.” Axton growled suddenly thrusting his hips into Jack’s groin, allowing him to feel his taught pants.  
A thick line pressed against Axton’s sweatpants, hard and throbbing.  
Jack looked down and then back up, the glowing eyes revealing no emotion to the other man.  
Axton kissed the bare skin of Jack’s collarbone, the hot kiss giving way to tender teeth. Jack made a sound like the breath had been forced from him and his hand instinctively snapped up to squeeze Axton’s bicep.  
Axton sneered against Jack’s skin, his lips hot, his body hotter.  
“You woulda made a damn good bandit baby.” Axton swooned venomously.  
Jack made a disgusted noise and bit his lip as Axton dragged his tongue over Jack’s throat.  
“If you’re going for some kind of flattery....you’re failing kiddo...” Jack hissed as Axton ground his hips into the other male’s.  
Axton’s hand slid down Jack’s heaving body, only to wrap around Jack’s own swollen member.  
“Am I now? I don’t think I’m doing all that bad...give you a buzz-axe and you’d be a regular psycho Jacky.” Axton teased meanly squeezing as he stroked Jack’s cock.  
Jack arched his back involuntarily and moaned out loudly, eyes shutting mouth agape and pitiful behind his mask.  
Axton’s lips whisper poisonous compliments across Jack’s neck.  
Jack makes a pained groan and tries to find his voice as Axton’s palm works him fluidly.  
His eyelids flutter almost closed as he watches wontonly through the eye holes.  
“I-I’m....no bandit....” Jack whispers breathlessly.  
Axton sneers into his skin.  
“Whadda ya say I make you into one?” Axton growls throatily.  
Jack snarls back at him with hatred and the want to snap sarcasm at the other male, but words fail him miserably.  
Axton laughs that thick, husky laugh of his and bites Jack’s shoulder.  
“What’s tha matter sweet cheeks...cat got your...tongue?” Axton whispers smiling and stroking Jack’s throbbing erection faster.  
Jack moaned out loudly, the sound coming from his lips like pure honey.  
“God damn it kiddo only you could make me want to kill you, and fuck you in the same breath.” Jack snapped angrily.  
With that Axton was scrambling for the lube left out on the counter from last night, and was hauling his sweatpants down, letting his fat hardness spring free.  
Suddenly he hauled Jack up into his arms, then slammed him into the wall opposite of them, pressing the slighter man into the brick harshly.  
Jack groaned out with the impact and wrapped his legs instinctively around the commando’s thick hips.  
Axton was already pressing his head against Jack’s hole giving him little time to stretch.  
Jack yelled out in pleasure and pain, hissing as Axton’s head entered him.  
Fucker wasn’t giving him any time to adjust...and yet Jack couldn’t tell him to stop. He couldn’t muster the words. It left him aching, but more so it left him wanting. That sense of pleasure with a twinge of pain was driving him mad with need.  
Axton gave another thrust, his girth at it’s thickest point sliding into Jack’s body.  
Jack cried out uselessly, arching his back against the wall, dragging his nails down Axton’s shoulders.  
Axton winced as his partner’s nails dug into his skin mercilessly.  
He pressed his forehead against the mask and moaned out lowly as he buried himself to the hilt in Jack’s perfect ass.  
He kissed the material, feeling it’s soft leathery tendencies beneath his lips. His hands cradled Jack’s thighs as he pushed him into the wall with each hump, driving into him with a mean vengeance.  
Jack cried out loudly, tilting his head back against the brick of the wall. Axton grabbed one of the straps and pulled Jack’s head back farther, now biting on the mask meanly.  
Jack held onto Axton for dear life as the other male pushed his advances upon him.  
He wanted to form words, but they fluttered from his brain like frightened birds. All he could think about was the pleasure ringing through him. The want for Axton, the want for him to go harder.  
His moans carried a whisper of Axton’s name on them, his body convulsing and arching.  
His cock pulsated impatiently as it bobbed in front of him, wanting attention, wanting release.  
Jack looked at Axton through the glowing eyes.  
“H-HARDER!!” He finally managed to gasp out.  
Axton was panting like an animal, already spiraling down to his own finish.  
But he obeyed.  
Months of listening to Jack’s orders had conditioned him to do so. Jack was the boss. It would always be that way. Even if he was no longer the Hyperion overlord.  
Axton’s hips snapped into Jack’s, his balls pulled tight to his body, orgasm mere moments away.  
Jack scraped his nails down Axton’s shoulder and yelled out loudly, his voice echoing off the vaulted ceilings.  
He came shamelessly, long ropes of his finish decorating his chest as Axton continued to crush him into the wall.  
Axton bit his lip and screwed his eyes shut.  
“F-Fuck!!!” Axton bellowed as he came.  
He filled Jack with everything he had, feeling Jack’s body pulsating around him, his cock throbbing with every cumshot.  
He let a long groan pass his lips as he finished, fingers still clenched around Jack’s thighs.  
Jack slumped now, his breathing hard and erratic in the throughs of post orgasm.  
Axton looked at Jack with tired, pleased eyes, unsure if Jack was returning the glance from behind the mask.  
He slowly pulled himself from his partner’s body, some of his finish dripping from Jack’s abused hole and onto the floor.  
Axton gingerly set Jack down, releasing him from his confinement against the wall. Jack leaned unstably against the wall breathing hard and heavy.  
“C-Can I take...this stupid...thing off now?” Jack panted his shoulder slumping forward tiredly.  
Axton cocked a half grin and nodded.  
Jack pulled the mask up off his head, ruffling his hair in the process.  
Axton stepped forward and grabbed Jack’s chin, pressing his lips against the older male’s.  
“You make a cute Psycho.” Axton whispered against Jack’s mouth.  
Jack scoffed irritably, his blue and white eye fierce upon Axton.  
Clearly somewhat annoyed he’d been roped into the whole thing in the first place.  
“If you wanted to fuck a psycho that bad, why didn’t you just fuck Krieg.” Jack snarled viciously.  
Axton broke out in hearty laughter.  
He kissed Jack again.  
“Cause you’re much cuter than Krieg sweet cheeks.” Axton purred running his thumb along Jack’s bottom lip.  
Jack slapped his hand away annoyed.  
“Yeah and because Krieg would most likely eat you.” Jack barked.  
“You got something wrong upstairs kiddo.” Jack added huffily.  
Axton leaned away from Jack folding his arms and cocking his head.  
“Well yeah, I must, specially since I put up with you. Gotta be something wrong with me for puttin myself through that.” Axton sang cockily.  
Jack snorted.  
Axton just smiled at his irritable counterpart.  
“C’mon let’s go get cleaned up. Gotta go to town.” Axton said steering Jack toward the bathroom and smacking him on the ass.  
Jack narrowed his eyes at the commando.  
“Town? Why?” He snapped.  
“Cause, we gotta get you something to wear sweetie. You can’t just run around naked all the time.” Axton said grinning.  
“I mean...though I’d much rather prefer that...” He continued.  
Jack rolled his eyes and headed off toward the shower leaving Axton trailing at his quick heels.  
The shower came with silence between them. Mostly because Jack was too exhausted to really have much to say. The night had wore on him, and the morning’s activities hadn’t helped his state. He groaned out lowly and tilted his head back, allowing the lathered suds to run down his back.  
Axton stood behind Jack silently, simply watching the other man intently.  
Jack closed his eyes and then opened them once more with a little groan. His limbs felt like dead weight and all he wanted to do was just crawl back into the confines of a bed.  
Axton rested his chin on Jack’s shoulder.  
“You ok?” He whispered his hands gently coming to Jack’s slender hips and resting there.  
Jack huffed out.  
“I’m fine. Just tired.” He said shortly.  
He was almost tired of Axton treating him like some machine that could break at any second. Mind you he may have been some broken, battered thing...but he wasn’t helpless.  
He’d let the commando baby him for days, mostly because he’d had no choice. But Axton playing nurse was getting old quick for the former president.  
He wanted to be treated the way Axton used to treat him.  
Like a powerful, wild, unpredictable thing.  
Axton used to treat Jack the way he would treat any other enemy, with a hint of lust and caring.  
It was a weird love. But it was love none the less.  
Jack was tired of being treated like such a fragile thing.  
He wasn’t fragile anymore.  
In fact he felt...strong. Stronger than he ever had before.  
Jack stretched his arms out.  
They felt heavy and tired, but they felt strong.  
So fucking strong.  
He thought about barking something more at the commando fussing over him...but he let it lie.  
He was too tired to argue.  
Jack didn’t want to pry himself from the warmth of the water.  
The day was chilly and the cold had crept into the house like an unwanted guest.  
Of course the minute he finally willed himself to step out, Axton was there to wrap a towel around him.  
“Didn’t want you catching a cold.” He said.  
Jack just grunted at the comment.  
A cold never killed anybody...but if he said that, Axton would most likely argue that in his state, it certainly could.  
Jack was pretty sure that was a load of bullshit.  
He felt just fine.  
Jack sat down on Axton’s bed with a soft thunk, his wet hair slicked to his forehead. He watched Axton with unamused eyes as the commando worked out how they would pull off hiding Jack’s identity.  
Axton pulled a roll of medical bandages from his drawer and asked for Jack’s right hand.  
Jack offered him his arm without question.  
Axton traced the old, blue green ink that had at some point been black and looked at Jack.  
“We gotta keep this wrapped up. It’s kinda identifiable.” Axton said softly wrapping Jack’s wrist in the tape.  
He ripped the end with his teeth and smoothed it down, making sure it wasn’t too tight.  
Jack just let him do it.  
The commando kneeling before him like he was some sort of god.  
At one point he had been.  
He’d been a god to the planet, the people, and Axton.  
The way Axton still worshipped him was something he’d not expected.  
After everything he had done to the kid, he was still willing to give everything he had for Jack. It made Jack a little sick to his stomach knowing what Axton had given for someone so unworthy. He shook the thoughts away and simply smiled at Axton when the commando looked up at him from the floor.  
Axton stood and ran his thick fingers through Jack’s wet locks.  
“There now, that should do it.” Axton said pleased with his handy work.  
Axton dressed the slighter man in some of his older jeans, lashed tight with a belt and put Jack in a shirt that was far too big for him...but it was all he had.  
Jack groaned.  
He was all opposed to actually going out in public like this, but he was too damned picky with his clothing to let Axton go alone. Axton had absolutely no fucking fashion sense that was for damn sure.  
Axton pulled a heavy coat onto Jack’s shoulders and smiled down at him.  
Jack pulled on the psycho mask with a heavy sigh and shrugged at the commando.  
“See, nobody will even know it’s you.” Axton boasted folding his arms.  
Jack sighed out in annoyance.  
“Sure kiddo. Whatever you say.” Jack snarled following the commando out the door.  
“Oh cheer up, I’ll buy you somethin’ real nice I promise.” Axton said clapping Jack on the back. 

Axton pushed the front door open with his foot, his arms full of boxes, bags and packages, gingerly balancing the load against his chest.  
He nodded for Jack to go in first and smiled genuinely at the other male, who was also sporting a hefty armful of items.  
Jack followed Axton up the narrow stairs and dumped the packages on the floor.  
He groaned out and flopped backward onto the bed closing his eyes tiredly.  
Axton set the bags down also and ran his hand through his hair slowly.  
He breathed out and looked over at his worn out counterpart.  
“I never thought we’d ever get done. How in hells name are you THAT picky about some fucking clothes?” Axton groaned rubbing the back of his head.  
He crossed the room and let himself fall onto the bed also.  
Jack pulled the mask up off his head and threw it onto the floor with a heavy breath.  
“I like looking nice. If I’m gunna have to wear a fucking bandit mask all the time, I at least want to have nice clothes to go with it kiddo.” Jack snarled.  
Axton shook his head and yawned.  
The action was contagious and in moments, it had Jack yawning too.  
He turned his head and looked over at the commando tiredly.  
“I’m fucking beat. I think I’m gunna hit the sack.” Jack groaned peeling off his oversized clothing borrowed from axton, until all that were left were his boxers, and crawling beneath the blankets.  
He instinctively took the right side of the bed, closest to the wall. Jack had a thing about always being nearest to the wall when sleeping. Made him feel safe Axton supposed.  
He pulled the heavy comforters up to his chin and sighed out long and heavy, his eyelids already falling closed.  
Axton stripped to his briefs and crawled in next to Jack.  
He spooned up against Jack’s thinner frame, his arms coming to snake around his counterpart’s waist.  
Jack wasn’t really much for “cuddling”.  
He never really had been.  
He’d put up with it for a little while before getting uncomfortable and rolling out of Axton’s grasp. That was just the way he was.  
But now....all he wanted was Axton’s firm grip.  
It felt safe.  
It felt like home.  
It was warm where the house was cold and Jack welcomed the body heat.  
Sleep held a sense of fear tonight....would he have another nightmare like the night previous?  
Jack frowned.  
He just wanted a good nights sleep...without the horrid nightmares.  
He felt like Axton surrounding him, just might ward off any dream creatures lurking there in the night.  
But he wouldn’t say it out loud.  
Wouldn’t admit he was afraid to sleep.  
No...he was too proud for that.  
So he let Axton cling to him, and hesitantly closed his eyes.


	8. A Monster of a Ruckus

A Monster of a Ruckus 

The ground was thick and soft beneath his feet. Overly moist with the onset of heavy rain. It was drenched, muddy, rich, soil. He stretched his toes in the dirt, feeling it on the bottoms of his feet. He was absent of his shoes, for reasons he did not know.   
He took in a deep, heavy, breath. It inflated his lungs to their maximum capacity, and then he let it loose slowly. He could smell the wet earth in his nostrils. It was dense, and earthy. A deep smell. A concoction of rainwater, soft dirt, decaying leaves and wet grass. A perfume of the earth if he had ever smelled one.   
His body felt strong, his muscles pulsing with life.   
He stretched slowly, elongating his spine, working out any stiffness left over there.   
His shoulders rotated beneath his skin, shifting, working, moving. He shook his head slowly, shaking water from his hair, letting it fall like small raindrops around his form.   
He had never felt so very....alive.   
He raised his head slowly, eyes searching out over the landscape before him. He could see the flickering lights of far off homes. Swaying in the darkness around them. They glinted like christmas lights, decorating the blackness in the hills.   
The landscape was rugged as it rolled out before him. Barren and dead mostly as it was bathed in the half full moonlight.   
Suddenly the instinct just hit him.  
He needed to run.  
Run as fast as he could.   
He just needed to run.   
His legs came to life, pumping full of energy, his muscles swelling full of power.  
The soil was soft as his feet dug into it, propelling him forward.  
The landscape whipped by him as he cut through the empty lands.   
The hills were nothing as he forced his body up them and down them, taking air and landing hard.   
The impact did not rattle him, only pushed him harder.   
His breath came in harsh, quick pants.   
His tongue pushed across his bottom teeth, feeling their pointed form lash across his lolling anatomy.   
His eyes were wild as they focused in on the homes.   
His vision clear even in the darkness.   
The little flickering lights were becoming closer, closer, closer.  
He was running faster, harder, his heart beating wildly in his chest, booming in his ears.  
They were so close....  
Suddenly Jack startled awake, jumping out of his heavy dream state.   
He breathed out shakily, his vision fuzzy and confused.   
He looked over his surroundings dazedly.   
He was still in bed, Axton sprawled out next to him dead asleep, the covers wrapped around his waist carelessly.   
Jack sighed loudly and ran his hand through his hair.   
He flopped back onto the pillow and pressed his palms against his eyelids.   
He rolled lazily onto his back and sighed out slowly.   
He pressed his hand over his chest, his heart still racing in his chest.  
Just another damned dream.  
Jack groaned out lowly and cracked his neck.   
Just a dream. But it had felt so real...so fucking real.  
He shook his head and closed his eyes.   
Axton stirred next him slowly with all of Jack’s commotion.   
He grumbled gruffly and turned over to face Jack.  
The commando yawned widely and threw an arm around Jack’s thin frame, pulling his body to the other male’s.   
“Mornin’ handsome.” Axton whispered his voice rough and ragged.   
“What’s all the floppin’ around about?” Axton continued, his eyes still closed as he nuzzled into Jack’s neck.   
Jack shrugged.  
“Just a dream.” Jack whispered.  
Axton made a little grunt.   
“Good or bad one?” Axton questioned gruffly.   
“Just....neutral I guess. Not really bad, not really good.” Jack muttered.   
Axton nodded slowly.   
“Well at least it wasn’t a bad one.” Axton mused nibbling Jack’s earlobe.  
Jack sighed out and closed his eyes slowly.  
Axton curled around Jack’s form, pressing himself tight to his body.   
Jack could feel Axton press his groin into his hip, and his obvious erection rub against his skin.  
Jack shot Axton a dirty look.  
“Really.” Jack snarled.  
Axton chuckled and splayed a palm across Jack’s abdomen.   
“Oh c’mon, I can’t help it. It’s just a lil mornin’ wood.” Axton snickered in Jack’s ear.   
“Well it’s stabbing me in the side.” Jack complained grumpily.   
“Well how about you let it stab you in the mouth how bout that babe?” Axton snickered.  
Jack rolled over and offered Axton his back huffily.  
“Pig.” Jack insulted over his shoulder.  
Axton wrapped his arms around Jack, pressing his bare chest to Jack’s shoulder blades.  
“Well aren’t you just a little ray of sunshine?” Axton cooed against the side of Jack’s throat.   
Jack just growled in response.   
Suddenly Axton rolled on top of Jack’s body, framing him harshly.  
Jack flopped onto his back again and peered up at the commando above him.  
“What are you doing?” Jack snarled from beneath the larger male.  
“I’m gunna fuck the bad attitude right out of you. That’s what I’m gunna do sweet cheeks.” Axton whispered leaning down to kiss up Jack’s throat.  
Jack’s adams apple bobbed against Axton’s lips as he swallowed hard.   
“Real cute kiddo.” Jack whispered through gritted teeth as Axton dragged his tongue up his cheek.   
“Well I see that as the only way to address this issue.” Axton whispered as his palm ran down Jack’s heaving stomach.   
“I thought your little buddies were coming back today.” Jack whispered, gasping breathlessly as Axton massaged him through his boxers.   
“They are. But it’s early. Best have you in a good mood when you meet them. Figure we got plenty of time for a quicky.” Axton swooned gently pulling down Jack’s boxers, freeing his flaccid cock.  
Jack folded his arms back behind his head and a cocky, wicked grin spread across his lips.  
“Well if you insist pumpkin.” Jack taunted wickedly.   
Axton wrapped his palm around Jack’s member and stroked softly, fluidly bringing it to life.  
Jack leaned his head back on the pillow and let his eyes fall closed as Axton’s palm worked him. Axton could feel Jack swelling beneath his palm, growing thicker, harder.   
Jack hissed out through his teeth and arched his hips up slightly.   
“Fuck that’s good...” Jack groaned lowly.   
Axton grinned wryly his lips centimeters from Jack’s.   
He leaned down and kissed Jack deeply, biting his lip softly.  
Jack pushed into the kiss hungrily, his tongue coming to play with Axton’s roughly.  
Axton stroked Jack harder, meaner.   
Jack broke the kiss, sucking in a gasp of air as his shaft disappeared into Axton’s fist once more, the skin bunching around his angry red tip.   
“You like that Jacky?” Axton whispered to his frazzled partner.   
Jack nodded, all the knowledge needed to form words had vanished from his tongue. All he could do was moan a response.  
The sound was thick and rich in Axton’s ears.   
Nobody moaned the way Handsome Jack did.  
The sound was enough to make you melt on the spot like a sad little puddle of ice that had come in contact with heat.   
His voice was smooth, and silky as it left his lips, that sound caressing all Axton’s deepest desires.  
It caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end, and his body to shudder.   
His eyes flickered closed for a moment as Jack let loose a louder, more desperate moan.   
God it was like milk chocolate coming across those thin lips of his, dripping over his heaving, needing body.   
Jack was shameless in his need.   
He did not care if he was too loud when expressing his pleasure, and oh was he ever too fucking loud.   
Always loud.   
He had a voice like honey and was not afraid to use it.   
God damned Axton liked that.   
Suddenly Jack rolled Axton to the bottom, thumping the commando into the bedding hard.  
Axton cocked an eyebrow at the ex-president.   
“Feeling frisky this morning huh love?” Axton cooed stretching upward, letting all his muscles shift as he did so.  
Jack splayed his palms out over Axton’s swollen, scarred muscles.  
“I’m gunna make you melt pumpkin.” Jack whispered in his ear, his tone thick and dangerous.  
Axton shivered as Jack’s hot words tumbled down his throat.   
Without another word Jack was slinking down Axton’s body backward, until he was eye level with his swollen erection.  
Axton bit his lip hard and sucked in a sharp breath.  
Jack ran his tongue up the inside of Axton’s thigh, all the way to the “v” of his torso, over his lower abdomen, kissing and sucking and wetting the skin teasingly.   
Axton moaned out at every touch, every teasing little feeling of Jack giving attention everywhere but the one place he wanted.   
Jack kissed along a ragged scar jolting down Axton’s left thigh and let his eyes dart up to meet his partner’s.  
Axton’s green eyes were lulled behind heavy lids, barely open as he watched Jack enthralled.   
Finally Jack extended his tongue and licked a long, slow, stripe up the underside of Axton’s hardness.  
Axton hissed out and let his head fall back on the pillow hard.  
Jack filled his mouth with Axton’s length, his tongue darting over the sensitive anatomy skillfully.   
He wrapped his lips around Axton’s swollen head and gently allowed his tongue to slide up his slit, collecting the pre-cum there, savoring it’s salty taste on his senses.   
Jack took Axton into his mouth, down his throat, taking it all skillfully and easily.  
Axton moaned out shakily.  
That was certainly one thing that hadn’t changed.   
Jack was a damned near pro at giving head...how he’d become so Axton would rather not ask.  
Sorta a don’t ask don’t tell thing.  
But that was far besides the point.  
Jack gave head like a fucking god.  
It had taken him months for Axton to finally talk him into it. Jack was a proud son of a bitch, and blowjobs were “beneath” him.   
The first time he’d ever agreed to it he’d had far too many glasses of wine and that had certainly worked in Axton’s favor.   
Axton sighed out as Jack’s throat clenched around him as he swallowed him down over and over again.   
God damn, was all he could possibly hope to think.  
Jack palmed Axton’s testes gently massaging them as he bobbed his head fluidly.  
“F-Fuck!!” Axton groaned out arching up a little.   
Jack chuckled around Axton’s cock and Axton all but doubled over.  
His tongue, his mouth, it was so hot, so skilled, his fingers now wandering along Axton’s puckered entrance, it was all good.   
So fucking good.  
Jack gently brushed the pad of his thumb along Axton’s back entrance, getting an exasperated moan from the commando’s lungs.  
Jack didn’t top often.  
He liked feeling full and stretched and being on top was frankly too much work on most days.   
But every once and a while he got the itch, and god he wanted it now.   
To feel strong again, to feel whole again.   
He was going to fuck Axton damned near stupid.  
Jack let Axton’s thick need pop from his mouth with a wet little sound and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand wontonly.   
Axton lie beneath him panting and frazzled.   
A thick paint of red clung to his cheeks and neck as he stared starry eyed at his lover.  
Jack pawed up Axton’s body, allowing his erection to slide against the commando’s.   
He grinned down at his partner, wicked and fierce.   
That smile could strike fear into the hearts of men and monsters alike. That wicked, vicious, poisonous smile full of bad intentions.   
Jack drew circles along Axton’s chest, slow and big, his eyes darting over Axton’s form.  
He chuckled low in his chest and his gaze flicked up to Axton’s. Vibrant blue and dead white. Haunting and needy.   
Axton swallowed hard, his adams apple bobbing with the motion.   
“What happened commando? Thought you were gunna fuck the bad attitude right out of me?” Jack hissed running his finger down Axton’s jawline.   
Axton shot Jack a dirty look and gritted his teeth.  
Jack laughed heartily and ran his tongue along the shell of Axton’s ear, delicate and slow.  
Axton closed his eyes and clenched his teeth harder.   
“Not so big and bad now are you vault hunter?” Jack hissed in his ear.  
Axton let loose of a fragmented breath.  
Oh god he couldn’t help but fall apart when Jack called him that. It was the way he said the title, like it was a dirty, disgusting thing.   
Jack had always said it like that. Ever since the beginning.   
Vault Hunter was a disgusting word to him and he made it very clear in the way he uttered it.   
Axton would be flat out lying if he so much as tried to say he didn’t like it.   
He couldn’t help but like it. Maybe even a little too much.   
Jack’s fingers ghosted up Axton’s neck, his palm wrapping around the commando’s throat.  
Axton swallowed against the pressure there and made a useless, needing sound.   
“Pitiful commando, really.” Jack hissed sucking the side of Axton’s neck as his hand squeezed around his windpipe just a little tighter. Tight enough to know the danger there, tight enough to get a small rise of fear from Axton’s gut.   
There was the Handsome Jack Axton had fallen for. That mean, witty, shit talking bastard that could unravel him in mere seconds. The Handsome Jack that knew Axton got off on the fear and the power that he held. The Handsome Jack that couldn’t help but to like the sense of fright he could inflict upon his partner.   
He tightened his grip just a little.  
Axton gasped, breath becoming more labored and difficult.  
“Such a kinky little bastard aren’t you Ax? You like when I have my fingers around your pathetic little throat huh?” Jack swooned chuckling as he rocked his hips against the commando’s.  
Axton groaned out raggedly, his voice choked and strained.   
Jack clicked his tongue at the other male.  
“Use your words kitten.” Jack teased meanly, his grin wide and pearly for Axton’s viewing.   
“Y-Yes!” Axton practically begged.  
Jack hummed at the word.   
“Yes...what?” Jack pressed his fingers digging in harshly.  
Axton made a pained, needing noise against the palms around his neck.  
“Y-Yes Handsome Jack.” Axton moaned as the corners of his vision began to get fuzzy.  
He could feel his body reacting to the lack of oxygen, and his cock throbbing at the abuse.   
Jack chuckled wickedly and suddenly released his grip on the commando’s throat.   
Axton felt the blood rush back into his ears, pounding in his head, and took a gasping breath.  
Jack gently licked the red marks left behind by his mean fingers and laughed against the commando’s abused skin.  
“Say my name again vault hunter.” Jack hissed dry humping against Axton’s hips.  
Axton bucked up pathetically, eyes squeezing shut.   
“H-Handsome Jack!” Axton practically begged.  
His cock twitched with impatience and the want for attention. Fuck he needed it so damn badly, and Jack was being a fucking tease.  
Jack was good at that.   
Teasing until you were pretty sure if he so much as touched you with one finger you’d be coming all over yourself.   
He could carry this out for hours, bringing Axton to the brink of climax, then ceasing all attention. Over and over again until Axton was sore and couldn’t think of anything else but sweet sweet orgasm. But god when Jack would finally let him cum oh god it made it all worth it. That sweet, hard, pounding climax that would leave him feeling like he damn near might pass out.   
Axton moaned out lowly, and balled his fists in the sheets.   
“Again!” Jack demanded sitting up and grabbing Axton roughly by the chin.  
“Handsome JACK!!!” Axton yelled bucking his hips uselessly.  
Jack laughed low and haunting, crooked smile painted across his face like a masterpiece.   
“Do you want me to fuck you, hmm, Axton?” Jack teased meanly shifting on Axton’s hips.  
Axton nodded frantically.   
“Y-Yes Handsome Jack.” Axton stuttered.   
Jack smiled wider.  
“Beg for it pumpkin.” Jack hissed gently running his finger down Axton’s heaving stomach.  
Axton didn’t hesitate, before he could even really comprehend the action, he was doing it.

“J-Jack please! I need it! Please!” Axton begged pitifully.   
Reduced to begging...and he loved it.   
“Commando, commando, commando, I know you can beg better than that.” Jack snarled running his thumb over Axton’s lower lip.   
Axton made a little whimper in his throat and looked up at Jack pitifully.   
Fuck he needed it so badly.   
“Jack PLEASE! I fucking need it so bad! Please!” Axton begged loudly.  
Jack seemed pleased with the commando’s pitiful begging.   
“That’s a good boy.” Jack praised Axton tauntingly.   
Suddenly Jack lifted off Axton and gently eased off the bed.   
Axton watched with confused eyes.  
Jack pointed at the edge of the bed, his eyes mean little slits as they settled on his partner.   
“C’mere pumpkin. Bend over and show Handsome Jack that pretty little asshole of yours.” Jack barked the order intimidatingly.   
Axton hefted himself off the bed and crooned over it, leaning his elbows on the mattress and offering his rump to Jack.   
Jack’s hands came to Axton’s rump, obscenely spreading his cheeks apart.   
“Oh yes, Jack likes.” Jack hummed rearing a palm back and sending it across Axton’s left cheek with a hard slap.  
Axton jolted forward and yelped out with the sudden action.  
Jack chuckled at Axton’s reaction and brought the wrath of his hand down again.  
The struck skin smarted and tingled, leaving Axton drooling into the bed sheets.  
It hurt in the best fucking way possible.   
“If only your little buddies could see their fearless commando now, pitiful and begging to Handsome Jack. Begging for me to fuck you. Oh Axton what would they say?” Jack taunted rubbing the red skin of Axton’s ass cheek.   
Axton panted into the bedding hard.  
“I don’t care what they think. Nggggg fuck Jack please!” Axton breathed trying to back up into Jack’s erection.  
Jack cocked a playful eyebrow at the commando and ran his thumb down the back of Axton’s testes.   
“Oh you don’t do you? So you wouldn’t care if I fucked you right in front of them? Splayed you out on the dining room table like a fucking four course meal and fucked you until you couldn’t even remember your own name?” Jack growled his voice rough and throaty.   
Axton groaned out loudly at Jack’s touch.  
“No! I just need it god damn it Jack!!” Axton begged impatiently.  
Jack laughed hotly at the commando’s pleas.  
“Well maybe we should just wait for your little band of bandits gets home? Lube where is it kiddo?” Jack snarled in Axton’s ear.  
Axton shivered under Jack’s words.  
“N-No I can’t wait that long! T-Top drawer!” Axton huffed.  
Jack fumbled through the bedside table and returned to Axton’s pitiful form.   
“Oh you can’t wait that long? So impatient kitten really, you are so damned cock hungry!” Jack taunted meanly.  
Axton just moaned in response.  
The insults were good, too good. He shouldn’t be stirred by them like he is, but he can’t stop it...can’t help it.   
The cruel words rolling off Jack’s smooth tongue were like a drug, and he was a hopeless addict.   
Jack slicked his fingers in the clear, cold lube and stared down at Axton thoughtfully.  
He gently pressed his index finger into Axton’s tight ring, getting satisfied hisses and curses from the commando.  
He added another finger, and another, until he had three up to the knuckle buried in Axton’s body, gently curling them within him, moving his fingers in a beckoning motion.  
Axton lurched forward crying out loudly as Jack’s fingers brushed against his prostate.  
Jack leaned over him grinning wryly.  
“Mmm there it is. Feel good kiddo?” Jack swooned lowly, kissing Axton’s shoulder.  
Axton gasped and bucked against Jack’s fingers as his partner moved them in swift circular motions.   
“Son of a fuck!!” Axton bellowed.  
Jack chuckled deviously.  
“I’ll take that as a yes.” He snarled picking up the pace of his strokes.  
Axton squirmed and bucked, feeling his orgasm creeping up on him, building in his gut and burning out of control.  
He could feel himself becoming harder, orgasm so fucking close.  
“J-JACK FUCK I’M GUNNA COME!!!” Axton yelled out frantically.  
Jack pulled his fingers from Axton’s body slowly, the rhythmic stroking to Axton’s prostate halting.   
Axton cursed angrily as the sensation left him.   
He was so fucking close.   
The thought of reaching down and stroking himself off came to mind, but he set that aside.   
Jack wanted to tease him, and he was going to let him.  
He loved it and hated it all in the same breath.   
Axton whined out frustratedly as his orgasm ebbed.   
“Oh you didn’t think it would be that easy did you kiddo?” Jack teased patting Axton’s rump.  
Jack went about kissing down Axton’s shoulders and back, allowing Axton’s orgasm to fully wane before continuing.   
Suddenly Jack leaned down onto his knees, grabbing Axton’s cheeks and spreading them once more. He nosed along Axton’s inner thigh, dragging his tongue along the flesh painfully slowly.   
He tilted his chin up and gently sucked Axton’s balls, his lips wet and inviting.   
Axton melted into the sheets, sighing and mewling as Jack sucked.  
Jack hummed against the skin just behind his lovers sack and lapped at it gingerly.   
“F-F-Fuuckk....” Axton half moaned half whispered his eyelids falling closed wontonly.  
He rocked against Jack’s lips as he moved to Axton’s rump, tonguing around his ring, coming away with the wet taste of the lube on his anatomy.   
Jack slowly stood again, finally slicking his own cock, and pressing his fat, swollen head against Axton’s puckered flesh.   
He gave a small thrust and his head entered Axton’s body with a slick, wet, sound.  
Axton grimaced at the pinch of Jack’s girth sliding in, flinching and twitching at the pleasure intermixed with pain.  
“God damned you’re big...” Axton breathed his voice muffled by the sheets.  
Jack laughed lowly, his mouth slightly agape at the feeling of Axton’s tight body encasing him.  
“H-Holy shit...” Jack moaned as he paused, hilted in the commando’s ass.   
His finger’s squeezed into the hard muscle of Axton’s ass his body shuddering at the tightness.   
Axton bucked back against Jack’s hips, prodding him for motion.  
“F-Fuck move!!” Axton groaned impatiently.  
Jack was so enthralled by the wondrous feeling of being inside the other male he ignored the commando’s snarky orders.   
Jack slowly rolled his hips forward, finding a rhythm as his fingernails dug into Axton’s hips, pulling the bigger man to him with every hump.   
Quickly his thrusts became frantic and ragged, sinking his shaft into Axton with haste and need.   
Jack’s hair fell over his dead eye in the commotion, breathy, heavy moans slipping through his parted lips.  
His hips snapped against Axton’s hard and quick, driving into him without mercy, without reserve.   
“AH-Ah!! Fuck!!” Axton moaned loudly his voice echoing off the walls.   
“YEAH!! You like that you fucking vault hunter scum!!!??” Jack insulted raggedly his humps sloppy and uncoordinated.   
They should have heard the front door to the castle.   
Normally you can hear that awful, squeaking thing a mile away.  
They should have...but they didn’t.   
There were more important things focused on, the fucking, the moaning, the scratching each others skin.

 

Meanwhile downstairs: 

Maya shoved the large skeleton key into the lock and turned it, shoving the heavy door open with great effort.   
She let it yawn open and looked back at her awaiting comrades.   
They were all in a particularly good mood, laughing and pushing and joking.   
The mission had gone well, all their pockets were considerably full and they always got a bit of excitement to just be home.   
Looking forward to beds not made out of sticks and hot showers always put them in good moods.   
Krieg rushed in and was immediately in the kitchen rummaging for something to eat, muttering crazed phrases that sounded something along the lines of “hungry” under his breath.  
They hadn’t eaten in at least a day, and food seemed to be on everybody's minds.   
The jovial group quickly went about making random meals.   
It was only seconds before a fight broke out between the mechromancer and the gunzerker over who got to use the microwave first.   
Maya broke it up calmly and gracefully as per usual.   
It was like a pack of wild animals, fighting and barking over scraps and chips and lunchmeat.   
Heathens, the lot of them.   
Maya took a seat on the barstool next to Zero and stuffed her sandwich into her mouth.   
The rest of them quieted down once meals has all been made, then the room mostly just consisted of the sounds of chewing.   
Gaige sat across the bar from Maya wolfing down a hot pocket.   
“So wheres the great ape?” Gaige asked Maya through a mouthful of ham and cheese.   
Maya winced.   
Dear god didn’t the little twerp ever chew with her mouth closed?  
Maya shrugged.  
“I’m sure he’s around here somewhere.” Maya said over her sandwich.  
Suddenly there was a great bang and a muffled yell from upstairs.   
Maya’s eyes flicked to the stairs leading to Axton’s room.   
Gaige shot her a confused glance.   
There was another series of banging noises and more muffled yells.  
“What the fuck is he doing up there? Gymnastics?” Gaige muttered raising an eyebrow.  
Maya slid her palm down the side of her face.  
“I’ll go check on him.” She growled irritably getting out of her seat and sprinting up the stairs.  
The closer Maya got to the door the louder the noises got, muffled masculine moans and curses, insults and the continuous tone of creaking bed springs.   
Maya groaned.  
“Oh for fuck’s sake.” She muttered.   
Jack’s nails scraped down Axton’s back, fucking the other male as hard as he physically could.   
Axton was mewling and moaning like a damned whore his voice rich and frantic.   
“G-GOD FUCK JACK I-I’M GUNNA-” Axton bellowed, he couldn’t even pant out the sentence before he was coming.  
He came hard, long ropes of ejaculation streaming down the side of the mattress and onto the floor.  
His dick throbbed with the much needed release, finally unloading his pent up need.   
Jack gave a final thrust and Axton could feel him pulsating within him, pumping him full of his own load.   
“S-Son of a taint...” Jack stuttered wilting over Axton’s form breathing hard and heavy.  
He slowly pulled himself out of Axton his finish running down the commando’s sack and dribbling onto the hardwood floor.  
He leaned on the bed for support, panting, his eyes nearly closed.  
Axton collapsed onto the bed frame weakly breathing just as hard.   
Suddenly there was a small knock on the door.   
Both men nearly jumped out of their skin.   
“Hey, lovebirds, wanna keep it down? We are home you know and now Gaige is pretty sure you were pole vaulting or something up here.” Maya hissed through the door.  
“Fuck.” Axton breathed.  
“Why the fuck are ya’ll back so early??” Axton barked from the bed.  
Maya rolled her eyes.   
“Just keep that shit to a minimum. I mean god damned are you trying to kill each other up here?” Maya barked.  
“Ok, Ok.” Axton groaned.  
Jack flopped back onto the bed chuckling.  
Axton cracked a sheepish smile.  
“Oops.” Jack muttered looking at Axton.  
Axton just shrugged.  
“God damned that was good.” Axton sighed lacing his fingers across his chest.  
“So once you catch your breath, you ready to meet the rest of the idiots?” Axton questioned smiling genuinely at his counterpart.  
Jack seemed nervous at the mention of having to meet the rest of the vault hunters.  
In his defense they had been constantly hunting him down previously...and succeeded.  
Jack grimaced.  
“I-I dunno if that’s a good idea kiddo...” Jack muttered hesitantly.   
Axton sat up suddenly.   
“Oh c’mon you know you gotta eventually! I’ve already got a great story and all.” Axton said leaning over to kiss Jack’s cheek.  
“Yeah what’s that?” Jack snarled.  
“You’re my boyfriend, from over on Elpis, you’re hometown got beat to shit by moon bandits and you needed a place to crash for a while. I obviously being the fantastic boyfriend I am, invited you to stay with me. Also your face got pretty beat up in the attack so you’re shy and gotta wear that mask.” Axton said grinning.  
Jack gave him an unamused look.  
“That story sucks. One, boyfriend? Really? What are we in high-school? I’m forty kiddo, boyfriend sounds a little dumb. Two, my face IS beat up. Thanks for reminding me.” Jack snarled.  
Axton pouted at him.  
“I like the way boyfriend sounds and oh don’t get pouty on me. You know I love your scar.” Axton said rolling his eyes and running his thumb over Jack’s scarred flesh.  
Jack just frowned at him.   
“What about talking? I can’t exactly sound like Handsome Jack around these bone suckers.” Jack growled.  
Axton shrugged.  
“I have a voice modulator for the mask, you’ll sound a little robotic, but nothing like Handsome Jack.” Axton countered.  
“I hate you kiddo.” Jack snarled at the younger male.   
Axton just winked at him.  
“I’ll take that as a ‘you are totally on board with this plan’.” Axton cooed teasingly.


End file.
